Horse Racing betting tips: Duo primed for top 2000 Guineas effort

All eyes will be on the first Classic of the season as the 2000 Guineas takes centre stage at Newmarket on Saturday. Racing Post tipster Robbie Wilders advises two bets in the big one and two more on the undercard.

1.40 Newmarket

Crystal Delight @ 9/2
1pt win

3.25 Newmarket

Majestic @ 8/1
1pt each-way

4.40 Newmarket

Holloway Boy @ 16/1
1pt each-way

4.40 Newmarket

Silver Knott @ 12/1
1pt each-way

Crystal can delight punters

There is a chance that Crystal Delight will prove to be a class apart in the 1m4f handicap (1.40) that opens the card at Newmarket.

Crystal Delight’s pedigree is out of the top drawer as a son of New Approach and out of a dam who ran to a peak Racing Post Rating of 121, but he is only rated 87 and has gone up 4lb for his two starts in handicaps despite not winning.

However, that doesn’t tell the full story as he bumped into two well-handicapped sorts on both occasions and pulled well clear of the third each time.

Crystal Delight is the least exposed runner in the field with only five starts to his name and I imagine this has been his long-term target for local trainer William Jarvis.

The booking of Jim Crowley, who has teamed up with Jarvis to good effect in the past, is a plus.

Majestic a beauty of a bet

The form of the Lincoln at Doncaster is worth firmly keeping onside and that points to an excellent chance for Majestic in the 1m1f handicap (3.25).

Majestic achieved his finest hour over this course and distance when storming home from Newmarket specialist Bell Rock in the 2022 Cambridgeshire two starts back and appears to retain all his ability on account of his Lincoln fourth on his seasonal return.

The fifth, eighth and 13th have since landed good pots and Majestic gets to run off the same mark at a track we know he relishes under useful 3lb claimer George Bass.

This could be the first big winner for Jack Channon since his father Mick handed him full control at the beginning of the year. All ground conditions are to a liking of Majestic and forecast rain holds no fears.

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Holloway and Silver the value in 2000 Guineas

My perception is that Auguste Rodin is too short in the 2000 Guineas (4.40) and talk of a Triple Crown bid, along with Ryan Moore’s decision to ride him over standard-setting juvenile Little Big Bear, are fuelling the skinny price.

There are plenty of dangers lurking in a top-class running and with the heavens set to open at Newmarket, I want proven stayers with middle-distance pedigrees on my side rather than the speedily bred types.

The two to make most appeal, with bet365 offering up four places for each-way betting, are Silver Knott and Holloway Boy.

The pair locked horns in the Autumn Stakes over course and distance two starts back and that race unearthed the previous Guineas winner Coroebus.

Silver Knott beat Holloway Boy under a 3lb penalty that day and subsequently almost landed the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf in which he was unlucky to be beaten a nose after a troubled passage up the rail.

On a line through Holloway Boy and Epictetus, who followed home Auguste Rodin at Doncaster, Silver Knott is certainly overpriced for the Rowley’s Mile dominant team in Charlie Appleby and William Buick, who has taken the ride over the stable’s higher-rated Noble Style.

Holloway Boy needs to step up but gives the impression he will do just that. An impressive debut winner of the Chesham Stakes on his racecourse debut at Royal Ascot, Holloway Boy would have run Auguste Rodin close at Doncaster if he maintained a true line when hanging in the straight.

The booking of Christophe Soumillon catches the eye and Karl Burke is adept at readying one first time out. These two will definitely get further judged on their pedigrees and should be finishing strongly.