The last five 2,000 Guineas winners

Earlier this month, the British Classics got underway, with the Guineas Festival at Newmarket hosting a weekend of thrilling action. On the opening day, the 2,000 Guineas was contested, and the curtain-raiser – the first in the British Champions Series – is open to both colts and fillies. The 2,000 Guineas also marks the opening leg of the famous Triple Crown, being followed by the Derby (in June) and St Leger (in September).

While punters look to find out who the next favourites are in upcoming races on the betting exchange, read on, as we take a look back at the most recent winners of this Classic race – including the latest champion.

2021: Poetic Flare

It was a win for the oldies, with the jockey/trainer duo of Kevin Manning and Jim Bolger among the more senior connections in flat racing. Manning is the oldest jockey to win a British Classic since Lester Piggott won the same race back in 1992 (aged 56). But age is just a number, and in a thrilling finish, Poetic Flare was triumphant at Newmarket. The 16/1 chance managed to hold off the charge of Master of the Seas to win by a shorthead. It proved to be a family affair, with the horse owned by Bolger’s wife Jackie.

2020: Kameko

Oisin Murphy, riding Kameko, stunned the unbeaten favourite Pinatubo and also ended two years of dominance for trainer, Aidan O’Brien. Murphy guided the 10/1 shot through the centre, as he landed a famous victory – winning by just a neck, but securing a new track record in the process, with a time of 1 min 34.72 secs. O’Brien’s Wichita was a close second, while Pinatubo finished in third, a length behind. It was a first British Classics win for Murphy.

2019: Magna Grecia

It was a landmark and record tenth victory in the 2,000 Guineas in 2019, for O’Brien, when Magna Grecia landed the trainer a first British Classics win of the season. It also marked back-to-back wins for the father and son team, with jockey Donnacha O’Brien in the saddle, as Magna Grecia won over two-and-a-half lengths from 66/1 outsider King Of Change. Favourite, Ten Sovereigns, also from O’Brien’s yard could only finish in fifth.

2018: Saxon Warrior

After a break of 189 days, the unbeaten Sax Warrior won the first Classic of the season at Newmarket, in the 2,000 Guineas. The 3/1 chance handed the father and son team of jockey Donnacha and trainer Aidan a comfortable victory. In fact, this was O’Brien Snr’s ninth victory in the race and, like the previous eight runners, Saxon Warrior hadn’t been given a prep run. The margin of victory was a length and a half, to Tip Two Win, while the favourite, Masar came in third.

2017: Churchill

It was a record-breaking win for trainer O’Brien in the 2017 2,000 Guineas – and he’s continued to have success ever since. Churchill had gone out the 6/4 favourite, having ended the previous season as the highest-rated two-year-old in Europe, winning five of his six races. And the victory marked a second for jokey Ryan Moore, who had previously had success with 2015 winner, Gleneagles.