2024 QIPCO Guineas Festival: Day one tips and race previews

It may be less than a week since we bid farewell to the Jumps season proper until the autumn, but racing fans certainly don’t have any time to catch their breath. 

The baton has now been passed to the Flat and we kick things off with two Classic races at Newmarket this weekend, in the form of the 2000 and the 1000 Guineas. 

The Guineas are two of the oldest and most prestigious races in the world, with the colts’ race dating all the way back to 1809. The Classic races provide a platform for three-year-old horses to stamp their authority as the best in their generation, with some notable winners of the 2000 Guineas this century including the likes of Sea The Stars and Frankel. 

The Guineas are held over a three-day festival at Newmarket’s Old Rowley Mile and Friday’s action is not to be scoffed at, with no less than three pattern races on the card. 

We’ve taken a look at the field to pick out the very best QIPCO Guineas Festival tips and betting offers and put everything you need to know together in this handy guide.

QIPCO Guineas Festival day one race schedule 

The Guineas Festival kicks off with a six-race card on Friday 3^rd May, which is headlined by the Group 2 Jockey Club stakes over a mile and a half-a race which was won last year by the 2021 St Leger hero Hurricane Lane. 

We’ve listed the full schedule for day 1 of the 2024 QIPCO Guineas Festival at Newmarket for you below. 

Time	Race	Distance	Type
13.50	Darley Maiden Fillies’ Stakes	1m2f	Class 2
14.25	William Hill Newmarket Stakes	1m2f	Listed
15.00	William Hill Epic Boost Handicap	7f	Class 2
15.35	William Hill King Charles II Stakes	7f	Listed
16.10	William Hill Jockey Club Stakes	1m4f	Group 2
16.45	William Hill Extra Place Races Handicap	1m	Class 3

QIPCO Guineas Festival day one tips and predictions

The opening day of the QIPCO Guineas Festival is an excellent one, with six highly competitive and intriguing races scheduled.

Three of those contests are pattern races (Group or Listed level), with the feature being the Group 2 Jockey Club Stakes over a mile and a half. 

We’ve taken a look at the fields and picked out our very best Guineas tips at Newmarket for the opening day of the Guineas Festival. 

William Hill Jockey Club Stakes tips

An open renewal of this Group 2 contest, which features a real mix of profiles. Time Lock has an impeccable pedigree and gave the impression of one who was coming into her own towards the end of last season, producing a career best to win a Group 3 contest over course and distance last September.

She found things a bit too hot on her last start in Group 1 company at Ascot a month later, but she’s respected if fully firing first time out for Ryan Moore, who’s a three-time winner of this race. 

King Of Conquest won a competitive handicap at this meeting last year and is respected alongside the improving pair of Naqeeb and Astro King, but preference is for Castle Way.

Like his stablemate, the four-year-old was victorious at this meeting last year in a Listed race and he’s done little wrong since, just being edged out by a stronger stayer in the Group 2 Voltigeur Stakes at York last August.

He will arrive here fit after a run in Dubai in March and it’s interesting that William Buick has opted to ride him over his shorter-priced yard mate King Of Conquest. 

William Hill Jockey Club Stakes selection

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William Hill Jockey Club Stakes prize money

It may still be early days in the Flat season, but the Group 2 Jockey Club Stakes offers a strong pot of prize money to those taking part. 

The fact that there’s only six runners in the contest mean that each runner will take home a share of the £125,000 pot should they complete the mile and a half contest. 

The prize money for the race can be broken down as follows:

• 1st £70,887.50
• 2nd £26,875.00
• 3rd £13,450.00
• 4th £6,700.00
• 5th £3,362.50
• 6th £1,687.50.

William Hill Jockey Club Stakes jockey overview

Of the six jockeys with a ride in the Group 2 Jockey Club Stakes, three of those have won the race before. The most successful jockey with a ride in the race is Ryan Moore, who has won the race three times in the past and is set to partner the Harry Charlton-trained Time Lock. 

We’ve listed each of the jockeys who have won the Jockey Club Stakes that have a ride on Friday for you below. 

• Ryan Moore (Time Lock) – 3 wins on Gospel Choir in 2014, Exosphere in 2016 and Seventh Heaven in 2017
• William Buick (Castle Way) – 1 win on Hurricane Lane in 2023
• James Doyle (King Of Conquest) – 1 win on Al Kazeem in 2012

William Hill Jockey Club Stakes trainer overview

The field for this year’s Jockey Club Stakes is a small but select one that includes a mix of pattern performers and improving types. 

Charlie Appleby is the only trainer with a runner in this year’s race to have won the Jockey Club Stakes previously, having struck 12 months ago with Hurricane Lane. We’ve listed his two runners in the race for you below. 

Charlie Appleby

• One winner: Hurricane Lane (2023)
• Two runners: King Of Conquest (9/2) and Castle Way (10/3)

William Hill Jockey Club Stakes previous winners

Year	Winner	Jockey	Trainer	Age
2023	Hurricane Lane	William Buick	Charlie Appleby	5
2022	Living Legend	Joe Fanning	Charlie & Mark Johnston	6
2021	Sir Ron Priestley	Franny Norton	Mark Johnston	5
2019	Communique	Silvestre de Sousa	Mark Johnston	4
2018	Defoe	Andrea Atzeni	Roger Varian	4
2017	Seventh Heaven	Ryan Moore	Aidan O’Brien	4
2016	Exosphere	Ryan Moore	Sir Michael Stoute	4

Please note that no race took place in 2020 due to the pandemic.

Darley Maiden Fillies' Stakes tips

With two of the six runners yet to have seen the racecourse, giving a definitive view is difficult in the absence of market clues. 

With none of the form on offer looking too hot, a chance is taken on the debutant Precious Jewel, a sister to three winners including the Group scorer Warren Point.

Appleby’s three-year-old crop have made a good start to the year and it would be no surprise should Precious Jewel be up to this first time out, particularly if the market speaks in her favour. 

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William Hill Newmarket Stakes tips

Endless Victory looked a nice type when completing a double at the Craven Meeting over course and distance last month, getting up late on despite conceding 7lbs to the runner-up and not having the race run to suit.

This is a tougher ask, but there should be plenty more to come from this full-brother to Cross Counter, who has an entry in the Dante Stakes later this month. 

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William Hill Epic Boost Handicap tips

A wide-open handicap in which English Oak could be the way to go. The four-year-old has only had five starts to date but he produced a string of good performances last term, including when a fine second in a hot sprint handicap at Ascot last October.

He let himself down with his inability to settle at times last term, but provided he has matured over the winter, there’s every chance that he can kick on this season judged on his pedigree. 

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William Hill King Charles II Stakes tips

Bold Style took a notable step forward when third behind Boiling Point in a conditions race over course and distance last month and he can improve past that rival here.

The three-year-old has plenty of speed on his side and having made his play slightly wider than the others on reappearance, he could well dominate this small-field affair now sharper for that run.  

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William Hill Extra Place Races Handicap tips

Rocking Tree arrives here on a roll having won back-to-back races at Wolverhampton in March and April, and he’s fancied to complete the hat-trick for George Boughey.

His victory on handicap debut last month was cosier than the length and a half winning margin would suggest – having veered on the run-in – and he’s fancied to shrug off a 5lbs rise in the weights to make it a perfect three since joining his new yard, with Ryan Moore a notable booking.  

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About the 2024 QIPCO Guineas Festival

The 2000 and 1000 Guineas are the first of five British Classic races to take place each year. The Classic races offer three-year-old horses the platform to prove they are the best in their generation, with the 2000 Guineas and the Epsom Derby being for the colts, the 1000 Guineas and the Epsom Oaks being for the fillies and the St Leger at Doncaster being open to both. 

The 2000 Guineas has 215 years of history, with the first race taking place back in 1809. Run over a mile, the winner of the race announces themselves as one of the best horses in their generation and sets themselves up for a lucrative career at stud once retired. 

The Guineas are held as part of a three-day festival at the Rowley Mile in Newmarket, which runs this year from Friday 3^rd May until Sunday 5^th May 2024. 

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How to bet on day one of the QIPCO Guineas Festival  

The idea of placing a bet on the racing can be daunting if you’re new to the sport, but it is a simple process once you know how. We’ve put together this quick guide to betting on the QIPCO Guineas Festival at Newmarket. 

1. Log into your betting account. If you don’t have one, you can find a list of suggestions at the top of this article. 
2. If you need to create an account, find a horse race betting site and look for a Guineas betting offer that suits you and follow the link through to the sign up page. 
3. Once you’re registered and logged in, navigate to the racing taking place at Newmarket on Friday 3^rd May 2024. 
4. You now need to pick out a horse. You can either follow the Newmarket tips and expert analysis in this article, or you can view the form for free on your gambling site. 
5. Once you have found a horse, add them to your betslip by clicking on the odds next to their name. 
6. You should see you NAP in the betslip. Input your stake. 
7. Once you are happy with everything, click on ‘place bets’. Good luck!

How to watch day one of the QIPCO Guineas Festival  

You can watch the first day of the Guineas Festival live on ITV Racing, who are showing four races on the card. The two races not selected for terrestrial broadcast will be available to watch on Racing TV, while you can stream UK and Irish racing on the majority of betting sites.  

FAQ about QIPCO Guineas Festival tips and previews

The Guineas are two of the most prestigious horse races in the world, which means it’s highly likely that they will attract some new eyes to the sport. 

Horse Racing can seem quite confusing to newcomers, particularly when it comes to betting on fast withdrawal casino websites and with that in mind, we’ve picked out three frequently asked questions for you below. 

1. Which bookmakers are offering the best promotions or bonuses for the QIPCO Guineas Festival at Newmarket?

You can find excellent sign up offers and promotions with the majority of British and Irish bookmakers. It essentially comes down to finding a site that suits your needs best. You can find a list of betting sites and Guineas betting offers above, which may help get you started. 

2. What's the best way for beginners to use the QIPCO Guineas Festival tips betting?

If you’re new to racing, the key thing is to try to consume as much racing and information as possible. The digital world means that there’s more information and resources available than ever before and quite simply, the more you watch the more you will learn. Take some time to read through all of the information in this article and make use of free websites like Sporting Life, Timeform and the Racing Post, too. 

3. Is the Guineas Festival the biggest event of the racing year?

It very much depends who you ask! There will be plenty of Flat fans that will tell you that the 2000 Guineas is their favourite race day of the year. The Guineas has made a name of some of the greats over the years, with recent winners of the race including Sea The Stars, Camelot and Frankel.

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