Dubai: Veteran handler Jean-Claude Rouget believes that his French hope Abtaal will be competitive in Saturday's Qipco 2,000 Guineas (G1) at Newmarket after pleasing him in his build-up to the showpiece race.
The American-bred son of multiple Grade 1 scorer Rock Hard Ten was narrowly beaten by fellow Guineas rival French Fifteen on his seasonal return in the Prix Djebel(G3) at Maisons-Laffitte, France but the top trainer believes that he will improve for that effort.
"He was not fit enough to win the Djebel and the trip was a bit short for him, but he has improved a lot from the race and that is why we decided to confirm Newmarket for him," Rouget told At The Races.
"It is never easy to win the Guineas, but I think he has improved enough to be competitive and finish in the first four. Christophe Soumillon told me the horse would like the track at Newmarket."
Abtaal is owned by Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance. Shaikh Hamdan has won the race two times in the past with Haafhd in 2004 and Nashwan in 1989.
The Prix Djebel serves as a trial for the first colts' Classics of the European flat season. The last horse to go on to win the 2,000 Guineas was Makfi in 2010.
Rouget, who first set up with ten horses in 1978,is no stranger to training winners in England. In 2007 he sent out Literato to win the prestigious Champion Stakes (G1) at Ascot.
Godolphin will not have a runner in the contest after Mandaean and Mighty Ambition were not declared, leaving Jeremy Noseda to snap-up Frankie Dettori to partner Talwar, a smart winner of the Listed International Trial Stakes at Lingfield on his last start.
The Italian will be looking for his first Guineas success in 13 years having last won the contest in 1999 with Island Sands. He also triumphed in 1996 with Mark of Esteem. Both horses were trained by Saeed Bin Surour for Godolphin.
Season marker
A final field of 18 led by ante-post favourite Camelot will line-up to contest the Guineas, one of the world's top flat races that lays down the marker for the rest of the season. The race was won last year by the phenomenal Frankel.
A notable absentee was Jim Bolger's Dewhurst winner Parish Hall who was pulled out because of the prevailing soft ground.
In-form handler Richard Hannon has four runners headed by Craven winner Trumpet Major, the mount of Richard Hughes), Bronterre (Jamie Spencer), Coup de Ville (Paul Hanagan) and Redact (Jim Crowley).
Born To Sea (Johnny Murtagh), Top Offer (James Doyle) and Abtaal (Christophe Soumillon) are other leading contenders.
The 2000 Guineas is one of Britain's five Classic races, and it also serves as the opening leg of the Triple Crown, followed by the Derby and the St Leger.
