Twain WON'T Run in 2000 Guineas After Bad Scope, With Ballydoyle Saying Expanded Will Be Their Only Runner

Twain WON’T Run in 2000 Guineas After Bad Scope, With Ballydoyle Saying Expanded Will Be Their Only Runner

Updated –Apr 29, 2025

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Ahead of Saturday’s 2000 Guineas at Newmarket – the first of the English Classics this season – the well-fancied Aidan O’Brien runner Twain WON’T run after Coolmore announced their 3 year-old didn’t scope 100%.

Which has also led to the Ballydoyle team also saying Expanded is now expected to be their ONLY runner.

Twain Expected To Be Taken Out Of 2000 Guineas After Bad Scope

Having scoped badly on Tuesday, the Coolmore team are not going to be risking Twain in Saturday’s 2000 Guineas – which has led the best horse racing betting sites in the UK to firm up Field Of Gold, who will be hoping to give trainer John Gosden a first success in the race.

Twain had been the general second favourite in the 2025 2000 Guineas market, having impressed at the end of last season with two wins – the last being in the Group One Criterium International at Saint Cloud.

The 3 year-old still holds an entry for the Dante Stakes at York on the 15th May, plus is around 8/1 for the Epsom Derby on June 7th. Connections will be hoping things have improved by the time these races come around.

Ballydoyle also had Henri Matisse, Camille Pissarro and Serengeti in the race – but they’ve also came out on Tuesday to say that EXPANDED is likely to be their ONLY 2000 Guineas runner this year.

Meaning their main jockey Ryan Moore will be getting the leg-up on the Wootton Bassett colt, who has replaced Twain as the second in the betting behind Field Of Gold.

Moore will be looking for his third win in the Newmarket Classic after wins with Gleneagles (2015) and Churchill (2017). While trainer Aidan O’Brien will be hunting his eleventh win in the race – but is on a five-year dry spell, with his most recent Magna Grecia in 2019.

Twain doubtful for 2,000 Guineas

Following his work this morning, Twain (Wootton Bassett) didn’t scope 100% so is unlikely to run in the 2,000 Guineas @NewmarketRace and may now be aimed at the Irish 2,000 Guineas instead.

Expanded (Wootton Bassett) is likely to be… pic.twitter.com/eVLjKXdAhi

— Coolmore (@coolmorestud) April 29, 2025

Expanded Will Be Ballydoyle’s Only 2000 Guineas Runner

The beauty with Ballydoyle is they’ve got enough in reserves when one of their main players in the big races has to come out.

So with Twain out, Expanded will be getting all the Aidan O’Brien focus now as he looks like being their only runner in the race.

He’s only been seen on the track twice – winning on debut at the Curragh last October and was a neck runner-up to another 2000 Guineas runner Shadow Of Light in the Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket over 7f last season (watch below).

Breeding, with Galileo on the dam’s side, suggests the step up to a mile (and beyond) will suit and he’s another that olds an entry for the Dante Stakes and Epsom Derby, where he’s around 10/1.

Godolpin’s Ruling Court and the already-mentioned Shadow Of Light will be big players too as the Charlie Appleby team look to follow-up last year’s win with Notable Speech.

While the Joseph O’Brien 2000 Guineas runner Scorthy Champ has been well-touted in the build-up to the race too.