The first Irish Classic of the season is here—and it promises to be a cracker.

English 2000 Guineas runner-up Field Of Gold lines up for the Gosdens, this time with Colin Keane in the saddle. Can he go one better and put the Newmarket near-miss behind him, or will the home team hold strong and fend off the British raiders at the Curragh?

Get the best Irish 2000 Guineas odds from the online horse racing betting sites here.

Irish 2000 Guineas runner by runner betting guide

Who has what it takes to take home the first Irish classic of the season?

4 Field Of Gold (9)

• Age: 3
• Weight: 9st 2lb
• Form: 114-12
• Rating: 120
• Jockey: Colin Keane
• Trainer: John & Thady Gosden
• Odds: 10/11

The fallout from Field Of Gold’s narrow defeat in the UK 2000 Guineas was swift. Kieran Shoemark held his hands up for not getting the job done at Newmarket—but the repercussions went further, costing him the ride and, reportedly, his number-one status in the Gosden yard.

In steps Colin Keane, no stranger to success in this race—he won it in 2020 for the same owner. And now, he’s tasked with guiding this powerful grey to redemption. If Field Of Gold runs to his mark, it’ll take a serious performance to stop him.

Star rating:

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2 Cosmic Year (5)

• Age: 3
• Weight: 9st 2lb
• Form: 1-11
• Rating: 110
• Jockey: Oisin Murphy
• Trainer: Harry Charlton
• Odds: 9/2

Cosmic Year comes from the same owner as Field Of Gold, and it gives them a strong hand coming into the Irish 2000 Guineas. Unbeaten in three runs, there is no telling what heights Cosmic Year can get to this season.

His most recent win, a dominant display in listed company at Newmarket, turned heads. Oisin Murphy, who knows him well and has been in the saddle for two of his three victories, returns to steer the ship once again.

Given how comfortably he’s been dispatching his rivals, it would be no surprise to see him step up and deliver a classic-winning performance. He’s unexposed, improving fast, and a real danger to all.

Star rating:

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6 Officer (3)

• Age: 3
• Weight: 9st 2lb
• Form: 1-31
• Rating: 108
• Jockey: Ryan Moore
• Trainer: Aiden O’Brien
• Odds: 7/1

At first glance, Officer might not scream “leading light” from the Ballydoyle camp. He was turned over on his seasonal return by the older Big Gossey and his own stablemate Camille Pissarro over 7f — not exactly a dream comeback.

Still, he bounced back with a tidy win in the Listed Tetrarch Stakes over today’s course and distance, booking his spot in the big one. The form of that race doesn’t leap off the page as Guineas-winning stuff, but if anyone can spark major improvement, it’s Aidan O’Brien.

That said, instinct says this might be one to oppose — unless the master trainer has a rabbit up his sleeve.

Star rating:

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5 Hotazhell (4)

• Age: 3
• Weight: 9st 2lb
• Form: 11211-
• Rating: 117
• Jockey: Shane Foley
• Trainer: Jessica Harrington
• Odds: 9/1

Hotazhell has only tasted defeat once in five starts, and he signed off last season in style — outbattling the now Derby-bound Delacroix in a gritty renewal of the Group 1 Futurity Trophy at Doncaster. That kind of form is hard to ignore.

He was all set to head to France for the 2000 Guineas, but Jessica Harrington pulled the plug late due to ground that was quicker than ideal. The Curragh won’t be anything like as rattling, and with rain forecast, the big question is: will conditions soften in time to swing things his way?

Ground conditions won’t be anywhere near as fast as they were in France, and with the Curragh due rain in the build-up to the 2000 Guineas, the only question is: will the rain arrive in time to enhance Hotazhell’s chances? Winning a Group 1 on his first start of the season is a big ask, but there is no doubt that he has enough talent to get his head in front.

Star rating:

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3 Expanded (2)

• Age: 3
• Weight: 9st 2lb
• Form: 12-9
• Rating: 117
• Jockey: Wayne Lordan
• Trainer: Aidan O’Brien
• Odds: 16/1

Expanded didn’t go unbacked in the English 2000 Guineas, but the fact that Ryan Moore has jumped ship to Officer is worrying.

Even so, he was only beaten a neck in the Dewhurst last season, so if you are willing to forgive him for his run at Newmarket, then you are getting a good each-way price on a horse that can take a big step forward, fitness-wise here. He may not win, but he could grab a place at a big price.

Star rating:

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7 Rashabar (1)

• Age: 3
• Weight: 9st 2lb
• Form: 2122-2
• Rating: 113
• Jockey: Sean Levey
• Trainer: Brian Meehan
• Odds: 20/1

Rashabar was an 80/1 winner at Royal Ascot last season, and he has gone on to prove that that win was no fluke.

Since his Royal Ascot win, Rashabar has gone close in a pair of French Group 1s, narrowly beaten by Whistlejacket and then by Camille Pissarro. He blew away the cobwebs in a Group 3 at Newbury last month, which should leave him spot-on for today. He can not afford to miss a beat here, but a place finish is not out of the question. He’s an interesting outsider.

Star rating:

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8 Scorthy Champ (8)

• Age: 3
• Weight: 9st 2lb
• Form: 131-7
• Rating: 115
• Jockey: Dylan Brown McMonagle
• Trainer: Joseph O’Brien
• Odds: 20/1

Scorthy Champ is another that is on a retrieval mission after disappointing in the English 2000 Guineas at Newmarket. There was no reasoning as to why he was below expectations. Was it the trip, or did he not handle Newmarket?

Today will tell us a lot about where Scorty Champ’s future lies. If he can reproduce his win in the Group 1 Vincent O’Brien Stakes at this course over 7f, he would be a danger to all. It’s hard to know what to expect after his blowout at Newmarket, but he is at a very backable each-way price.

Star rating:

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9 Windlord (6)

• Age: 3
• Weight: 9st 2lb
• Form: 4213-2
• Rating: 105
• Jockey: Chris Hayes
• Trainer: Andrew Balding
• Odds: 33/1

Windlord has a bit to find with Hotazhell on their meeting over course and distance last season.

His only start since saw him beaten by one of the lesser Ballydoyle inmates at Sandown last month. He is likely on pace-setting duties for Cosmic Year and Field Of Gold, so it’s best to avoid him today.

Star rating:

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1 Comanche Brave (7)

• Age: 3
• Weight: 9st 2lb
• Form: 4124-2
• Rating: 107
• Jockey: Gavin Ryan
• Trainer: Donnacha O’Brien
• Odds: 50/1

Despite giving Henri Matisse a fright over 7f here in March when finishing second (the third has won since), Comanche Brave goes in as the outsider of the whole field.

To be clear, his form last season wasn’t anywhere near Group 1 standard—let alone good enough to win—but if he builds on his comeback run, he could take advantage if some of the shorter-priced runners underperform. It’ll be interesting to see how he’s ridden on the day, as he may be held up and asked to pass tiring horses late on.

Star rating:

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Irish 2000 Guineas verdict

This renewal of the Irish 2000 Guineas has the makings of a cracking renewal. With that said, this can be a day of redemption for FIELD OF GOLD. He was unlucky not to get up and win the English 2000 Guineas when just failing to reel in Ruling Court in a desperate finish.

As we know, Kieran Shoemark lost the ride on Field Of Gold over that ride, but now Colin Keane takes the ride today, and he can steer the son of Kingman to classic glory. If Hotazhell handles the underfoot conditions, he can give the selection the most to think about.

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