Money pours in for 2000 Guineas runner with ‘sparkling turn of foot’

MONEY has been flying in for a Charlie Appleby runner in Saturday’s blockbuster 2000 Guineas.

But it’s the red-hot favourite the bookies really fear – with some punters holding 20-1 slips about massive odds-on chance City Of Troy.

PA

Ballydoyle trainer Aidan O’Brien has been waxing lyrical about his breathtaking son of Justify.

Already after three runs he is being spoken of in the same breath as the mighty Frankel.

But some punters will remember getting their fingers burned when similar greatness was expected of Auguste Rodin last season.

He was sent off 13-8 for the first Classic of the season but finished 12th of 14, some 22 lengths behind winner Chaldean.

City Of Troy is being talked about almost as if defeat is out of the question.

And at 4-6 he is priced pretty prohibitively too.

But that price only makes all the more special the 20-1 slips some forward-thinking punters are holding.

However, it could be worth taking him on for the place money at the very least.

And race sponsors William Hill report cash coming in for Appleby’s ‘impressive’ three-time winner, a son of Dubawi.

He has been clipped from 10-1 into 8-1 and third-favourite behind Richard Hannon’s Rosallion.

William Hill spokesperson, Lee Phelps, said: “We’re very excited by the horses who’ve stood their ground for both the 2000 and 1000 Guineas.

“City Of Troy is the best backed horse in the race so far and would be a bad result for us should he do the business on Saturday afternoon, particularly with some punters holding slips at 20-1.

“Aside from him, there’s been good early support for Notable Speech after Charlie Appleby took out his remaining options for the race, and we trimmed him into 8-1 from 10-1.

“The 1000 Guineas doesn’t have a similarly standout headline act, but with 17 fillies in the field at this stage, it looks like anyone’s race.

“We’re wary of the likes of Ylang Ylang, Content and See The Fire, whom we’ve taken significant money for, and we won’t be cheering them on come Sunday.”

2000 Guineas odds via William Hill

8-13 City Of Troy
4-1 Rosallion
8-1 Notable Speech
12-1 Henry Longfellow
16-1 Night Raider, Ghostwriter
20-1 Alyanaabi, Iberian, Task Force
25-1 Bar

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