Ten Sovereigns, Aidan O'Brien's star two-year-old from last season, looks set to be heading straight back to Newmarket for the 2000 Guineas, meaning he will take on the best of the three-year-old milers without the luxury of a prep run.
Speaking to members of the press today at his yard's open day, the Ballydoyle trainer, aiming for a tenth success in the race, revealed that his current plans involved sending his biggest hope for the season straight to the famous Rowley Mile.
The No Nay Never colt is unbeaten in three runs to date, winning impressively in the Grade One Middle Park Stakes last time out back in September. However, the Coolmore star remains only second-favourite for the race, given perceived doubts over his ability to get a mile, and the performances of the John Gosden-trained Too Darn Hot
Speaking at his stables this morning, O'Brien said:
Ten Sovereigns physically has done well and is a very relaxed horse. Nothing would suggest he wouldn't get a mile.
We will skip the Greenham Stakes at Newbury [on Saturday] as there is no point taking on Too Darn Hot when he isn't fully ready and he will go straight to the 2000 Guineas.
We have 200 horses riding out in total - 100 are two-year-olds, we have 10 to 12 older horses and the rest are three-year-olds. That is our full capacity, but it is very manageable.
Last year the horses weren't able to acclimatise as there was snow early in the year and it became very warm during the summer. Not once were the horses galloped on grass last year from January to December, whereas this year we have done a lot of grass work already.
Meanwhile, Too Darn Hot, favourite for both the 2000 Guineas and the Epsom Derby, was revealed to be among the entries for this Saturday's Greenham Stakes at Newbury.
