American trainer eyeing audacious 2,000 Guineas tilt with 'exceptional' colt

Mi Bago could contest this year’s Betfred 2,000 Guineas with US Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse labelling the three-year-old “an exceptional horse”.

Owned by Gary Barber, Mi Bago was one of 57 colts nominated for the first Classic of the season at Newmarket on May 3 alongside ante-post favourite The Lion In Winter and last year’s champion two-year-old Shadow Of Light.

The entry is an increase from 49 in 2024 and includes eight potential contenders for Aidan O’Brien, six for Charlie Appleby and three for Kia Joorabchian’s Amo Racing.

Mi Bago has won five of his seven starts, with his most recent success coming last weekend in a Listed contest at Gulfstream Park in Florida by four and three-quarter lengths.

Casse is one of America’s leading trainers and landed the Preakness Stakes with War Of Will and the Belmont Stakes with Sir Winston in 2019. He also made a major mark in Britain with Tepin's victory in the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot in 2016.

Tepin won the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot in 2016 for trainer Mark CasseCredit: Mark Cranham

Casse said on Tuesday: “I think Mi Bago is an exceptional horse and his win the other day was super impressive. I don’t know for sure whether he’ll go for the Guineas and it’s a discussion I'll have to have with his owner. 

“I haven’t been there in a while but we’ve had success in the past with Tepin. It takes an extremely special horse for us to go over and be competitive, we know that, and in my mind he is that horse, so it’s under discussion. 

“We don’t make these entries very often, which I think tells its own story. I’m not really sure what the next race will be for him after his win at the weekend. We’re looking at options for him and that’s one of the reasons why we thought we’d nominate him for this race and see how we go.”

There is also potential US representation in the Betfred 1,000 Guineas, with leading California trainer Phil d’Amato entering Tigerish, while Vertical Blue could line up for big-spending US owner John Stewart and trainer Francis Graffard.

A total of 43 fillies have been entered, six fewer than last year, with Aidan O’Brien responsible for nine. These include ante-post favourite Lake Victoria and Fairy Godmother, who was last seen winning the Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Betfred 2,000 Guineas (Newmarket, May 3)
Sponsors: 5 The Lion In Winter, 8 Shadow Of Light, Opera Ballo, 9 Expanded, 10 Ruling Court, 14 Scorthy Champ, 16 Ancient Truth, Cosmic Year, Hotazhell, Twain, 20 bar.

Betfred 1,000 Guineas (Newmarket, May 4)
Sponsors: 11-4 Desert Flower, 3 Lake Victoria, 7 Fairy Godmother, 16 Bubbling, Verse Of Love, 20 Falling Snow, Red Letter, Vertical Blue, Exactly, 25 bar.

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