The first British Classic of the year went to Qatar Racing Limited’s Kameko in a spectacular race at Newmarket’s Rowley Mile yesterday, with the colt breaking the record time for Qipco 2,000 Guineas.
Fifteen runners lined up for this historic challenge and the starting favourite was Pinatubo, last year’s two-year-old champion.
There was drama from the off in this race when Kenzai Warrior reared as the stalls opened, nearly losing his jockey.
They raced in a single Group on the rail, with Persuasion setting a smart pace. The second favourite, Wichita, sat just off the leader, with Pinatubo and Arizona together behind. Kameko was perfectly placed behind these three horses.
Wichita came to take the lead at the three-furlong pole and racing really got underway inside the two-furlong marker. Having to come around a failing Arizona into the centre of the track, Kameko showed a remarkable turn of foot to pass his rivals to win by a neck in front of Wichita, with Pinatubo a further length behind in third.
This was a first Classic success for jockey Oisin Murphy, and a first 2,000 Guineas win for trainer Andrew Balding and the owners.
Last year’s Group 1 Futurity Trophy winner, Kameko, had been described by Balding as the best horse to pass through his care and he certainly lived up to that description here. He is now favourite for the Epsom Derby, following yesterday’s scintillating performance.
“I don’t want to cry,” Murphy said after the race. “My boss, Sheikh Fahad, is at home in Newmarket and obviously with the current pandemic, he couldn’t be here. I started my career with Andrew Balding as trainer. To ride a Classic winner, my first one, in these colours — this horse’s father is Kitten’s Joy, the same as Roaring Lion — is incredible. It’s the stuff of dreams. It was a gutsy performance. He hardly blew a candle out afterwards — he must have a tremendous amount of ability.”
Kameko is by Kitten’s Joy, as was HE Sheikh Fahad bin Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Thani’s much-missed champion Roaring Lion. Both attractive grey colts, Roaring Lion also ran in the 2,000 Guineas for a sixth place behind Saxon Warrior. Again, as with Roaring Lion, Kameko was bought as a yearling at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale. He is out of Sweeter Still, a Group 3 winner who is a sister to Kingbarns, a Group 1 winner at 2, in the Futurity Trophy.