Native Trail can end Godolphin’s 2,000 Guineas jinx

WINNERS of the 2,000 Guineas for Godolphin have been scarce recently but the imposing NATIVE TRAIL (Newmarket, 3.40) can put that right. The victory for the Jim Bolger-trained New Approach nine years ago — a horse Godolphin purchased during his juvenile campaign — remains the only success this century in the first colts’ Classic of the season in the blue silks of Sheik Mohammed’s operation. However, Godolphin will never have a better opportunity to end that barren sequence. Trainer Charlie Appleby (right) has two strong challengers at Newmarket today, in the shape of Native Trail and his classy stablemate Coroebus. Native Trail was Europe’s champion two-year-old last season, when his wins included the Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket. An impressive comeback success at the same track in the Craven Stakes solidified Native Trail’s position at the head of the Guineas betting, with the son of Oasis Dream responding generously to jockey William Buick’s urgings. The draw could have been kinder both to Native Trail and Coroebus with each of them drawn on their respective flanks in stalls one and 15. That may represent an issue for Native Trail if the field migrate towards the stand side and, as he can sometimes take a stride or two before he fully engages top gear, he finds himself stuck in traffic. But as long as there is daylight ahead of Appleby’s striking colt exiting the Dip, then Native Trail’s raking stride looks set to take him clear. While Coroebus is respected, Aidan O’Brien’s 2021 Vertem Futurity Trophy winner Luxembourg may give the selection most to do given his impressive change of gear. Perfect Power, last season’s Middle Park Stakes winner, is also a threat if the final furlong of the mile does not prove a step too far. He recorded a good time when winning the Greenham Stakes over seven furlongs at Newbury two weeks ago.