The most prominent of them is an undefeated foal.. UAE horses chasing the 13th title in the English “2000 Guineas”

Tomorrow afternoon, Saturday, the eyes of international horse racing fans will turn to the ancient “Newmarket” racecourse in Britain, where the English “2000 Guineas” race, designated for three-year-old colts and classified as a first-class “Group 1” race, will start over a distance of 1,600 meters on grass.

The UAE horses are looking forward to achieving the 13th historic title in this ancient classic championship, which dates back to the year 1809, through the participation of seven horses.

The international Godolphin team fielded three of the most prominent horses over the mile, with the ambition of maintaining the title for the third year in a row, and adding the seventh title in the history of the “Royal Blue Logo.” Trainer Charlie Appleby supervises the two colts, “Distant Storm” and “King’s Trail,” while trainer Roger Varian prepares the colt, “Avicenna.”

The colt “Distant Storm”, who won the “Tattersalls Stakes” title for Group 3 horses last September on the same Newmarket track, appears to be a strong candidate for the title, especially considering his lineage, as his father “Night of Thunder” and his maternal grandfather “George Washington” had previously won the “2000 Guineas” race in the 2014 and 2006 editions.

“Distant Storm” began his career in the summer of last year with a victory at the “Gullay Cross” track in “Newmarket” in a race for novice horses, before finishing third behind the two-year-old European champion “Guyane” in the two “Acomb Stakes” races (Group 3) at the “Ebor” Festival on the York Racecourse, and the “Darley Dewhurst Stakes” (Group 1) on the “Newmarket” track.

His stablemate “Kings Trail”, in his first appearance on grass, is looking forward to emulating the achievement of Godolphin star “Notable Spish”, who won the “2000 Guineas” title in the 2024 edition, after the latter achieved a historic achievement by winning the title after three consecutive victories on artificial surfaces, in a precedent that has not been repeated since 1938.

In turn, the third representative of the “Godolphin” team, the colt “Avicenna”, began his career by winning both of his entries last season at the age of two years, before reserving his seat in the “2000 Guineas” by finishing as runner-up, in the middle of last month, in the “Craven Stakes” race (Group 3) on the same track and distance.

Emirati hopes are also counting on the undefeated colt “Paw Echo”, owned by the heirs of Sheikh Mohammed bin Obaid Al Maktoum, under the supervision of trainer George Bogue, in his first participation at the age of three years this season, after he achieved three consecutive victories at the age of two years, the last of which was last September on the same track and distance, in the “Tattersalls Online Royal Lodge Stakes” race (Group 2).

Attention is also directed to “Needle Match”, owned by Saeed Suhail, under the supervision of coach William Hagues, “Alp Arslan”, led by Mohammed Al Shehhi, and “Lord Britten”, by Abdullah Al Mansouri.

It is noteworthy that the first titles for UAE horses in the English “2000 Guineas” race date back to the year 1985 via the colt “Shaddadid” by the late Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum, while the most recent titles were achieved with the “Godolphin” logo in the 2024 and 2025 editions via “Notable Special” and “Rolling Court.”