Irish 2000 Guineas Top Trainers
Both the British and Irish 2000 Guineas attract many of the same top owners and trainers. Among the top Irish trainers in flat racing are Aidan O’Brien, Jim Bolger and Dermot Weld.
Trainers ranked high in British flat racing and who are definitely worth watching at the Irish 2000 Guineas include the likes of Peter Chapple-Hyam, Sir Michael Stoute and Saeed bin Suroor.
Aidan O’Brien
Irish-born Aidan O’Brien is currently ranked as the top flat racing trainer in both Irish and British racing. In 2007, O’Brien earned a whopping total of €5,104,480 in winning and place money. O’Brien is the private trainer for John Magnier and his associates at Coolmore Stud, and heads the Ballydoyle Stables in County Tipperary. Horses he has trained have won the Irish 2000 Guineas a total of four times, in 1997, 1999, 2001 and 2002. Likewise, O’Brien has had four wins in the British 2000 Guineas at Newmarket. In 2002, his Rock of Gibraltar won both the Irish and British 2000 Guineas.
Jim Bolger
Jim Bolger follows O’Brien as the top Irish flat racing trainer, as of the end of the 2007 racing season. Among the horses he has trained are the record-breaking Finsceal Beo and the popular Teofilo. In 2007, Bolger secured an impressive 58 wins, 47 second positions and 38 third positions out of 419 runs. He has yet to train an Irish 2000 Guineas winner.
Dermot Weld
For the 2007 racing season, Dermot Weld – who maintains the Rosewell House stable in Curragh – ranked as the third most successful flat racing trainer, after Aidan O’Brien and Jim Bolger. For the season, he earned a total of €1,749,615 in prize and place money. Already by 2000, Weld had set the record for the most winners trained in Ireland, at 2,578. His Flash Of Steel won the Irish 2000 Guineas in 1986.
Peter Chapple-Hyam
Peter Chapple-Hyam is currently ranked fourth among British flat racing trainers. Over the 2007 season, he won a total of £1,852,639 in prize money. Horses trained by Chapple-Hyam won the Irish 2000 Guineas in 1992, 1994 and 1995.
Sir Michael Stoute
Sir Michael Stoute has been awarded the title of British Champion Trainer a total of nine times. Stoute-trained Shaadi won the Irish 2000 Guineas in 1989. Horses trained by Stoute have won the British 2000 Guineas a remarkable five times and the British 1000 Guineas twice.
Saeed bin Suroor
Saeed bin Suroor has earned the title of British Champion Trainer four times. He began training for Sheikh Mohammed’s Godolphin operation in 1995. Suroor-trained Bachir won the Irish 2000 Guineas in the year 2000. Horses trained by Suroor have also won the British 2000 Guineas twice and the British 1000 Guineas twice.
Which Irish 2000 Guineas top trainer do you think will win the race in 2008?
