AIDAN O’BRIEN has confirmed BOTH his 2000 and 1000 Guineas favourites are currently unlikely to run.
The Lion In Winter did head up the betting for colts’ race on Saturday May 3, the first Classic of the season at Newmarket.
PAThe Lion In Winter had been big 5-1 favourite for the 2000 Guineas but is not unlikely to run[/caption]
While Lake Victoria was big favourite for the fillies’ version the next day – but has been usurped by Godolphin’s Desert Flower.
The Ballydoyle boss dealt ante-post punters a devastating early blow by saying he had doubts either would run.
O’Brien said: “The Lion In Winter took a little bit of time to come right so he’s a little bit behind the others.
“We took him to the Curragh last weekend and he went well, the work was easy what he did.
“Whether he’ll make it in time for the Guineas or not I’m not sure.
“We’ll know in the next week or so but if he doesn’t he might be trained for something like the Dante at York and go straight to the Derby, something like that.
“There has to be a doubt about the Guineas but he’s very well, he’s just carrying plenty of condition so he might not make it, in the next couple of weeks we’ll know.”
While the master trainer said of his star juvenile filly: “She’s good, she had a long break, longer than the others because her year went very long.
“She was at the Curragh last weekend as well on an easy piece of work.
“I’m not sure if she’ll make the Guineas but we’re training her for it.
“If she didn’t make it she would go for the Athasi Stakes the day after at the Curragh if she didn’t come in time.
“Knowing her she probably will come in time because she’s that type of filly.
“I’m very happy with her and we think she’s done very well.”
There was market chaos in the 2000 Guineas in particular, as punters piled into O’Brien’s other big fancy Expanded.
He was smashed into as short as 9-2 fav for the mile contest but that was before an interview aired in which O’Brien said he may miss the race too.
O’Brien added: “If we were dividing them (Expanded and Twain) up, Expanded could go to the Curragh (for his first run) on the way to the Irish Guineas.
“Twain could go to the English Guineas, that’s the way we’re thinking and what could happen.”
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