Shadow Of Light or Ruling Court?
William Buick is yet to nail his colours to the mast of either Shadow Of Light or Ruling Court when it comes to which horse he will partner in this season's 2000 Guineas.
The Charlie Appleby-trained duo both featured among the seventeen confirmations that were made on Monday, with John and Thady Gosden's impressive Craven Stakes winner, Field Of Gold, currently heading the ante-post market.
"I haven't made a decision yet as to what I will ride in the 2000 Guineas," said Buick, who will be looking for back-to-back wins in the opening Classic of the season after partnering Notable Speech to glory twelve months ago.
"Obviously both Shadow Of Light and Ruling Court are in the race. Shadow Of Light is a champion two-year-old and Dewhurst winner so it's an obvious race for him to go for. Ruling Court is a horse we don't know as much about, but he won the Guineas in Dubai on Super Saturday when he couldn't have done any more.
"Charlie and I feel they both deserve to be in the 2000 Guineas. It is a hugely important race and going to be hugely competitive. There are horses in there that have run in and won trials but most of them we haven't seen yet this year and that is always the thing with both of the Guineas races – you just never really know."
Whilst Shadow Of Light is rated 8lb higher that Ruling Court on official figures, bookmakers are finding it tough to split the chances of the pair, who are both available at around the 8/1 mark.
"I have ridden both Shadow Of Light and Ruling Court this year and you would have to be pleased with both of them. They are two very straightforward and high-class horses. I don't know if I will get to sit on either of them before declarations time on Thursday – that will be Charlie's call."
Last year's European champion two-year-old, Shadow Of Light, completed a unique double with victories on the Rowley Mile in the Middle Park and Dewhurst Stakes, but needs to prove he can cope with the step up to a mile.
In contrast, Ruling Court is yet to face the undulations that Newmarket's Rowley Mile possesses but looks almost certain to stay the trip after his commanding win over a mile at Meydan last month.
On the prospect of Shadow Of Light staying the mile, Buick said: "If you go back to his Dewhurst win, that was on pretty soft ground. Obviously, his class told that day but equally he had to stay with the way the race unfolded and while you never know until you try, you would have to be pretty hopeful a straight mile on good ground should not be a problem for him."
Whilst Buick remains undecided on who he will ride in this year's 2000 Guineas, he will lose little sleep worrying about which horse to ride in the fillies' equivalent, with his mount Desert Flower a general shade of odds on to give Charlie Appleby a first 1000 Guineas following an excellent two-year-old campaign.
"Desert Flower was excellent last year and just kept on improving all season right the way through to the Fillies' Mile, where she probably posted her most impressive win of the year," said Buick, who rode the daughter of Night Of Thunder in a recent racecourse gallop at Newmarket during the Craven meeting.
He added: "She's done nothing wrong and having won on the track as a two-year-old is a help.
"She looks great, and I think Charlie and the team have been very happy with her all throughout the winter. She had a nice spin on the track at the Craven meeting. She wasn't asked any serious questions, but she felt very comfortable doing what she did."
