Leung Ho Yin, Simon's Bio
Simon is a well respected full-time thoroughbred racing commentator specializing in overseas international racing. Bringing with him a wealth of racing knowledge, Simon is the host and race caller for the overseas simulcast programme since 2008/09 season. He is currently the presenter on several racing television programmes including, ‘Banker’, ‘Racing Horizon’ and ‘Horse Racing – Results’.

Newmarket Racecourse – Track Analysis (2,000 Guineas Day):

As the headquarters of British thoroughbred racing, some 60km north-east of London, the Newmarket Racecourse is comprised of two different courses: the Rowley Mile Course and the July Course. The Rowley Mile Course – the battle ground for this weekend’s 2,000 Guineas Day – is a sprawling strip measuring 2000m in length. With a gradual ascent from 800m out, then up again by a much steeper gradient with about 300m to go, any runner that prompts the speed early is called on for a herculean effort, with no covers to make the call at every furlong marker – and dominate its competition all the way from gate to finish. That said, fields do generally bunch up towards the stand’s side in the early goings, whereas stalking midfield, or towards the back of the pack for a strong finish, is typically the much preferred strategy.

With no races carded beyond 2000m on the 2,000 Guineas Day simulcast this Saturday, and all exclusively on the straight course, the featured 2,000 Guineas Stakes is contested accordingly over a straight mile. When a huge field of 19 was disputing for classic supremacy in the 2019 running of this prestigious prize, with a significant track bias, MAGNA GRECIA, Donnacha O'Brien up, drafting midfield early while scraping paint on the stand’s side rail, took command with about 300m to go, and never relinquished it to score in style, while KING OF CHANGE, hounding MAGNA GRECIA the whole way, could only be second-best. Further down the field, SKARDU, MADHMOON and TEN SOVEREIGNS, finishing third to fifth sequentially, were all racing on the much slower far side, where TEN SOVEREIGNS, laying just off the lead for much of the contention, faded badly, and gave way to SKARDU and MADHMOON just strides from the line.

Except occasional mid-week showers, sunny skies will extend towards this Saturday at Newmarket, thus “good and firm” will be on deck for the turf this classic weekend. Should such conditions hold, horses breaking from the stand’s side will definitely have a slight edge.

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