2000 Guineas Facts
The 2000 Guineas is the oldest of the five British Classic races. The first 2000 Guineas was raced in 1809, so 2008 marks its 200th running.
Wizard, trained by Tom Perren and jockeyed by Bill Clift, won the prize – two thousand guineas – on offer for the race in that year. In 1814, the same trainer and jockey won the very first edition of the 1000 Guineas.
The 2000 Guineas is raced on the first day of a two-day festival, now sponsored by the bookmaker Stan James and so known as the Stan James Guineas Festival. The race isn’t closed to fillies but is traditionally a race for colts. The last filly who ran the 2000 Guineas was Garden Path, in 1944.
2000 Guineas Records
- The most successful 2000 Guineas jockey in history was Jem Robinson, who rode a total of nine horses to victory in the race. The most successful trainer, with seven wins, was John Scott. As owners, both the 4th Duke of Grafton and the 5th Earl of Jersey share the record, with five wins each.
- In 1947, the horse Tudor set the record for the widest winning margin in the 2000 Guineas. He won the race by a full seven lengths.
- Lester Piggott, possibly the greatest of all UK jockeys, secured a total of 30 wins in the British Classic races, including 7 wins in the Guineas races. He was awarded the title of British Champion Jockey a total of 11 times. Lester Piggott currently lives in Newmarket.
- In 1970, Nijinsky – ridden by Lester Piggott – won the Triple Crown of the British Classic races, with a victory in the 2000 Guineas followed by wins at the Epsom Derby and St Leger. No other horse has secured the Triple Crown since then.
- 34 horses in all have won the 2000 Guineas and the Epsom Derby in the same year. The last horse to secure a 2000 Guineas-Derby double in the British Classic races was Nashwan, in 1989.
- In 1994, Mister Baileys – with trainer and jockey – set the fastest winning time for the 2000 Guineas, at 1m 35.08s.
The Stan James Guineas Festival for 2008 includes 14 races, with total prize money for all the races at over £1.15 million. Even given the substantial value of two thousand guineas back in 1809, the prize fund for the 2000 Guineas has soared. For 2008, it’s set at £350,000.
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