Calyx proving popular in QIPCO 2000 Guineas betting

Calyx has been absent since landing the Coventry. Picture: racingfotos.com

A decision on Calyx‘s participation in the QIPCO 2000 Guineas at Newmarket on May 4 is likely to be made at the end of this week.

Last seen when blitzing the field in the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot, trainer John Gosden had seemed cool on the idea of taking him straight to the Classic

However, since Gosden ruled ante-post favourite Too Darn Hot out of the race, the unbeaten Calyx has come in for some strong support and is now a general 8/1 for the Guineas, which as usual is the first race in this year’s QIPCO British Champions Series.

Teddy Grimthorpe, racing manager to owner Khalid Abdullah, said: “There’s been no change one way or the other – we’ve always been trying to get him there and whoever else runs or doesn’t won’t affect the decision.

“Obviously the concern is that he’s had a long lay-off and an injury. He hasn’t run since Royal Ascot, so we want to be happy that he is in great shape to do himself justice in the 2000 Guineas.

“From that point of view, there has never been any change. The horse himself is in good form and we’ll probably have to make a decision by the end of this week I would think.

“It’s never been a question of who goes or who doesn’t, we’ve always had tremendous faith in the horse, so it’s all about getting him to the race in the best possible form.

“It was frustrating last year given how the Coventry worked out, but we wouldn’t have swapped the Coventry. The way the race has panned out, it looked a strong renewal.”