THE QIPCO 2000 GUINEAS - A BACKGROUND

The QIPCO 2000 Guineas, which was founded in 1809 and has a glittering roll of honour, celebrates its 215th running in 2023 It is the first race in the 2023 QIPCO British Champions Series and has a prize fund of £500,000

Along with the QIPCO 1000 Guineas, also over Newmarket’s Rowley Mile, the 2000 Guineas is one of the five English Classics, all restricted to three-year-olds - the others being the Betfred Derby and Betfred Oaks, both over a mile and a half at Epsom Downs in early June, and the extended 14-furlong St Leger, which takes place at Doncaster in September.

Sir Charles Bunbury, who played an important role in the development of British racing, including overseeing the extension of The Jockey Club’s authority, was inspired to introduce the two youngest Classics - the 2000 Guineas for colts and fillies and the 1000 Guineas for fillies only The name derived quite literally from the initial prize fund for the race – 2,000 Guineas was in effect a guaranteed sweepstake, irrespective of the number of subscribers.

The inaugural running was won by Wizard, who gained £1,522 for his connections, in the silks of Yorkshire sportsman Christopher Wilson Bill Clift steered Wizard to that success and, five years later, completed a famous double for the same owner when partnering Charlotte to take the first running of the 1000 Guineas Both were trained by Tom Perren

THE BOODLES JULY FESTIVAL