The Roger Varian-trained Al Musmak (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) will bid to defy his outsider status when he lines out in the Qipco 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket on Saturday week.
The colt brings smart form to the table with a Listed win in Haydock's Ascendant S. sandwiched between creditable placed efforts behind Rosallion (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}) at Ascot and then on his final start of the year when second to Ghostwriter (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) in the Royal Lodge.
A return to the Rowley Mile for the opening Classic of the season has been on the cards ever since, for which Al Musmak is a 66-1 chance.
“It's our intention to run Al Musmak in the 2000 Guineas and he's training nicely at home,” said Varian. “He's got some very solid form from last year, finishing runner-up to Rosallion in the Pat Eddery Stakes and winning a strong Ascendant Stakes where the second, third and fourth all run at Sandown in the Classic Trial and we'll be keen to have a good look at that form. Then he wasn't beaten too far by the Clive Cox horse [Ghostwriter] when second in the Royal Lodge.
“He's a 108-rated, strong performer and it's always been our intention to go straight to a Guineas with him and we're looking forward to doing that.”
He added, “There are a lot of good horses from those autumn races and he's got solid form. He's 108 not 118, so he needs to improve to bring home a 2000 Guineas. But he's going into the race fresh, he's wintered well and he looks a stronger horse-it's not beyond him to run well.”
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