French 2000 Guineas: Tips, Runners & Odds (Monday 2.50pm)

The Emirates Poule d’Essai des Poulains – known in the UK as the French 2000 Guineas, features a number of top class horses this year including the extremely exciting Victor Ludorum.

French 2000 Guineas Runners

He was beaten in his trial but Victor Ludorum is a short-priced favourite to live up to his name – winner of the games – when it matters in the cauldron of a Classic.

Owned by Godolphin and trained by Andre Fabre, the son of Shamardal caught the eye last season with three wins in six weeks.

Defeat in his trial run in May has raised doubts – whether an apparent sluggishness was lack of match fitness or hinting at a lack of the instant acceleration punters are looking for.

The Summit and Ecrivain finished ahead of Victor Ludorum in that trial and both run again. The former’s trainer, Alex Pantall, is confident of improvement for that win.

Fabre also runs Alson and Arapaho. Alson was outstayed by Victor Ludorum on heavy ground in the Group 1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere last October and should be suited by this lesser test of stamina, though this is his first start since winning a two-runner Group 1 last season.

Arapaho won at Deauville last summer. His narrow trial win last month at Longchamp looks to have been with this race in mind.

French 2000 Guineas Odds

Victor Ludorum heads the market at a general 2-1 from Ecrivain around 3-1. The Summit, who beat them both in a trial in May, is as big as 9-1.

Our French 2000 Guineas racecard has all the runners, odds and key information you may need.

French 2000 Guineas Tips

Scott Burton writes: Arapaho is taken to give trainer Andre Fabre an eighth win in the French 2,000 Guineas. He has potentially flown under the radar compared to his two Group 1 winning stablemates but there was a lot to like about his easy Listed success over seven furlongs at Longchamp. Arapaho has a similar profile to the same yard’s Le Brivido, who was only just touched off when the race was last staged at Deauville.

We have tips for every race of the Newcastle card on Monday! See all our Newcastle tips here.