Newmarket// There was no fairytale for rookie trainer Owen Burrows after Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid’s Massaat had to play second fiddle to the hugely impressive Galileo Gold in the English 2,000 Guineas here on Saturday.
Galileo Gold handed Al Shaqab Racing and British trainer Hugo Palmer with their first English 2,000 Guineas wins with a performance that suggests next month’s Derby at Epsom could well be within his compass.
Guided by the experience of Frankie Dettori, who banked his third victory in the race and the first since Godolphin’s Island Sands in 1999, Galileo Gold cut out much of the running in the early stages. The son of Group 1-winning miler Paco Boy used his prominent position as a springboard two furlongs from home and powered up the hill to beat Massaat and Paul Hanagan by a length and a half.
Godolphin’s Ribchester, ridden by William Buick, ran a huge race to steal third from Air Vice Marshall, stablemate of disappointing favourite Air Force Blue who was 12th of the 13 runners.
“I am chuffed to bits,” said Burrows. “We were just beaten by a better horse.
“Two furlongs (400m) out I thought it would take a good one to get past him and he ran right to the line. I can’t ask for much more than that.”
Massaat was one of four horses entered for the Derby that ran in the race, with Galileo Gold also a possibility for the first Saturday in June. Burrows was unsure of whether Massaat would handle the step up from 1,600 metres to 2,400 metres, a sentiment shared by Dettori regarding his mount.
“I am convinced he stays a mile and a quarter no problem and he is definitely good enough,” the Italian rider said.
“We’ll see. He did it the hard way. He had the worst of the draw, he had to make his own running two out. Golden Horn may have gone to stud, but I have found a replacement. He took my breath away!”
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