Racing:Sea The Stars finished best of all under a power-packed Mick Kinane to land the stanjames.com 2000 Guineas at Newmarket.
A well-backed 8-1 chance, the John Oxx-trained colt is closely related to Derby winner Galileo, and was immediately installed as favourite for this year’s Epsom Classic after denying Delegator by a length and a half. Gan Amhras took third, with Rip Van Winkle finishing strongly for fourth.
Jamie Spencer looked to have timed things to perfection on 3-1 favourite Delegator after long-time leader Evasive gave way. But Kinane was always going strongly, and with stamina seemingly not an issue, he was going away at the end.
Giving the veteran Kinane a fourth success in the colts’ Classic, and Oxx a first, Sea The Stars’ triumph was even more impressive considering he had reportedly not had the smoothest of preparations.
Brian Meehan’s Delegator did virtually everything right, while the third and fourth are others bred to be better at distances in excess of a mile and ran big Derby trials.
Oxx said: “He’s travelled wonderfully well throughout the race. You could see from a long way out that he was going to make it count.
“He quickened well into the Dip for a relatively inexperienced horse — the rising ground suited him and he really got home well.
“Everyone keeps saying he’s a Derby horse, thinking he’s a half-brother to Galileo, but he is by Cape Cross and shows a lot of speed — I didn’t want to miss the Guineas.”
Kinane added: “He’s a classy horse and we’ve waited for him all winter. We had a setback five weeks ago, but, luckily, we were well ahead of schedule. He’s always been crying out for this ground.”