Jim Crowley Guineas Festival thoughts: 'The Dewhurst form could hold the key to this race'

After recently providing an update on his recovery, leading flat jockey and Coral ambassador Jim Crowley gives his thoughts on the 2,000 and 1,000 Guineas races on Saturday and Sunday at Newmarket.

Saturday 3.35 - 2,000 Guineas

I do like Group One 2-y-o form when it comes to the season’s opening Classics, and that is something the favourite, Bow Echo, doesn’t have.  He did win the Group Two Royal Lodge well, and he is unbeaten, so of course he could be good enough to win this, and his trainer, George Boughey, has won a 1,000 Guineas, so I understand why he’s one of the favourites, but there are others with strong claims also and he is one I could take on.

Last year’s Dewhurst Stakes could be the key race.  Sadly the winner of that [Gewan] isn’t here, but the race will be well represented, with Gstaad, Distant Storm, Oxagon and Alparslan all running.  The last two have won the Craven and Greenham respectively this spring, so the form holds up well, and Gstaad – who was best of them behind Gewan - went on to win the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf.  He’s also Aidan O’Brien’s only runner, and I think he has a massive chance.

Godolphin run three, and Will Buick has chosen Distant Storm, the Dewhurst third, who is another with a big chance.  However, their King’s Trail is a really interesting runner.  He’s only run on the Kempton all-weather, but has won both starts, and their Notable Speech had a very similar profile before he won this two years ago, so if there is one here who doesn’t have Group form in the book yet but could feature, it’s him.