Churchill Isn’t The Only Bet On the Irish 2000 Guineas

Ireland has, by and large, been fortunate with the weather this spring so far, but don't bet on the Irish 2000 Guineas escaping the rain due on Saturday. With the course likely to be heavy going at best (and at worst be completely waterlogged) the race might not quite go as the bookies like Bet365 expect, which means this is the perfect time to have a little flutter, but just which of the runners should you back?

Irish 2000 Guineas

• Spirit Of Valor – 33/1
• Glastonbury Song – 33/1
• Thunder Snow – 10/1
• Lancaster Bomber – 9/1
• Irishcorrespondent – 6/1
• Churchill – 4/11

Run since 1921 you can always bet on the Irish 2000 Guineas to spark a buzz of excitement as this iconic race brings together the emerald isle's racing community in County Kildare at the Curragh Racecourse. A group one race over a flat mile for thoroughbreds of three years or older it runs around this famous right-handed turf course with a purse awaiting the winner of around 170,000 EUR and is typified by a narrow field of some of the very best horses that have shown capability in a given season.

In this respect 2017 is no different with Aidan O'Brien, who has had ten winners since 1997, seeking his 11th victory and bringing the 2000 Guineas winner from Newmarket last month, “Churchill”, over to see if he can't win the double (both English and Irish 2000 Guineas races). This has set the bar hugely high and few trainers have fancies their chances, however a few have bet on the Irish 2000 Guineas not going Aiden's way and so lets look at who else you can back if you like to bet on sports in Ireland.

Bet On The Irish 2000 Guineas At Bet365 This Weekend

Doubling his chances, and filling out a field somewhat sparse of competition, O'Brien is also bringing “Lancaster Bomber” with him, a good runner who came fourth across the Irish Sea and could well take advantage of the inclement conditions on the day and whilst a bet on the Irish 2000 Guineas backing the second string to win is a tad cavalier to say the least (it's getting just 9/1 to win) Bet365 will do you an effective ¼ on the antepost for it to come in second, and that's not beyond the bounds of possibility.


Of course there are other horses in the field NOT trained by the master of this race, and sitting at the back of the chances are the oddly named pair of “Spirit of Valor” and “Glastonbury Song” both of which get 33/1 and are the sort of bet on the Irish 2000 Guineas that make people tut at you and suggest you take advantage of Irish gambling laws to bet on something less complicated than horse racing like the weather. This, I warn you, shouldn't be taken as encouragement to back “Thunder Snow” at 10/1.

O'Brien Looks To Churchill To Win The Double

Irish 2000 Guineas

• Curragh, Co. Kildare
• Type - Flat
• Distance - 1 Mile
• Surface - Turf
• Total Purse – 300,000

So if “Spirit of Valor” reminds you of a bad Vietnam War movie, or “Glastonbury Song” takes you back to sitting in a field with a bunch of hippy drummers, if “Lancaster Bomber” is a tad too warlike to sit comfortably and “Thunder Snow” brings to mind a children's cartoon just who ARE you supposed to back to win if you bet on the Irish 2000 Guineas this weekend? “Churchill”?? What? At just 4/11? Really? That's hardly a bank roll boosting affair is it? Surely there must be some sort of alternative.....

There is. “Irishcorrespondent” is the only unbeaten horse in the field that isn't trained by O'Brien, and whilst it came to racing late it has won both it's starts this season and hasn't put a foot wrong. A tasty looking animal you can expect this to be the real challenge to “Churchill” on the day, something reflected in the 6/1 odds you can get at Bet365, however you should remember that Irish gambling news headlines on Sunday are likely to be all about “Churchill”, who has looked utterly unstoppable.