Great White Eagle capable of toppling War Command in 2000 Guineas
Published:There may be plenty of races to be run between now and the next 2000 Guineas, but Great White Eagle’s barnstorming Naas debut has got plenty of punters talking ahead of next year’s meeting.
His stylish two and three and quarter-length victory over four previous winners of the Michael O’Maille race on the Irish track has well-priced for victory in the first Classic of the next calendar year.
It looks as if Aidan O’Brien’s two-year-old is going to provide stern opposition to Ladbrokes’ early pace-setter, 7/1-rated War Command if his performance in this 6f juvenile is anything to go by.
He fended off course and distance victor Gold Pereguine, who went off as race favourite, in order to ensure a winning debut, while third place Remember You had also experienced success over this trip earlier in the summer.
Having so convincingly thwarted such esteemed company, it’s easy to see why his 2000 Guineas credentials might excite punters and, having being sired by Elusive Quality, his prospects of Classic success heighten further still.
A direct relative of exceptional milers Raven’s Pass and Elusive Kate, who boast 13 wins from 26 outings apiece, as well as the imperious Sepoy – who only failed to place on three of his 14 career runs – it’s clear his gene pool is of a high grade.
Great White Eagle’s diary is chocked full of potential meets that suggest he’ll be put through his paces over the famous Newmarket trip too.
The big end-of-season flat showdowns – the Dewhurst Stakes and the Middle Park Stakes – are often regarded as the yardsticks for success in the 2000 Guineas and the colt is pencilled in to run in one or the other.
Should he take the Dewhurst approach, he will be attempting to follow in the hoof-steps of previous Guineas champions Frankel and Dawn Approach, who prevailed here in their second year of existence before claiming more prestigious spoils the following year.
A Dewhurst victory would see his odds tumble still, so Great White Eagle is very much worth keeping an eye on in the latter stages of the flat race season.
All odds and markets accurate as of publication’s time and date
