WOW! Wow! What a race!

The 2,000 Guineas delivered all the best the sport of horse racing can offer — quality horses, close competition, an electric atmosphere enhanced by robust promotions and a large and enthusiastic crowd deservedly enjoying every moment. And the good thing is that there is more to come with the Derby and the St Leger still in sight.

The two unbeaten horses in the field of 10, Bigman In Town and Willie Goldsmith, delivered, while Crucial Appeal and Perfect Neighbour both came to the party to add the variety necessary to propel the 2,000 Guineas into a never to be forgotten race. Here is an analysis of the race.

Willie Goldsmith had the benefit of the outside draw and jockey Shane Ellis used it to perfection, as he placed his mount on the outside and simply watched and waited, thereby ensuring a smooth passage in the one-mile event. When the leaders Crucial Appeal and Bigman In Town engaged in an almost murderous match race, Ellis remained calm allowing them to battle before pouncing with three furlongs to go. He entered the straight alongside and moved away but had to thwart the challenge of Perfect Neighbour to win by a head. Ellis proved that he is by far our best Classic jockey riding at the moment as he used all his experience and guile to get Willie Goldsmith home.

Bigman In Town, the favourite, came out well from the number two post position and moved away from the rails smoothly to race prominently for the first furlong. When Crucial Appeal (Winston Griffiths), the known frontrunner went to the lead, Omar Walker tracked him for a while before inexplicably deciding to take on Crucial Appeal (on the outside) coming around the bend. It was the wrong decision as instead Walker on Bigman In Town should have tracked for another furlong, furlong-and-a-half before making his decisive move.

The tussle between Walker and Griffiths reached a calamitous level when it became clear that interference, bumping and intimidation were taking place with Bigman In Town coming out the worse. In the straight, Crucial Appeal sharply came across the running path of Bigman In Town causing Walker to take a pull. As anticipated, the stewards launched an inquiry, with Griffiths eventually charged for intimidation and causing interference. Walker is still without a Classic win even after winning four jockeys’ championship.

While Bigman In Town and Crucial Appeal were locked in their own private war, Willie Goldsmith and Ellis were taking advantage of the situation. With a furlong and a half to go, ‘Willie’ took the lead and despite the late running effort of Perfect Neighbour held on stoutly.

The 2,000 Guineas was a nightmare for our top riders with the exception of Ellis. Dane Nelson the jockey assigned to Perfect Neighbour did not cover himself with glory either. Willie Goldsmith, despite his game performance, was lucky to win this Classic.

When Nelson brought Perfect Neighbour with his run instead of keeping him on the wide outside, he should have come inside at the top of the straight. Most punters were united in the view that Perfect Neighbour would have won if Nelson, who seems to be stuck in this ‘outside mode’, had taken the obvious decision to come inside especially given the amount of open space available to him. Nelson has to do better if he is to maintain the confidence of his ‘governor’. He does it time after time and if he is to progress further he must curb this nagging inclination.

Bigman In Town, despite the traffic woes ended third, just a length-and-a-half behind the winner. He will return. Crucial Appeal with all the mishaps, the bumping and boring demonstrated true ability and should be watched, while we can discard the run by Hover Craft. The 2,000 was an anomaly for him.

Of the others, they will find their rightful places in racing but not in the Classic races to come.

So, it’s congratulations to trainer Patrick Chang for winning his first 2,000 Guineas and fourth Classic race overall. For owner WB Racing it was a first taste of Classic success and given the vast investment this owning syndicate has made in racing there might be more to come. Shane Ellis was brilliant and when he took off his cap when returning to the winners’ enclosure and displayed his dyed golden hair to the public it was a moment to for all to savour and a real golden conclusion to the Classic proceedings.