GEORGE BOUGHEY on BOW ECHO winning the 2000 Guineas!

Saturday was a very special day and one that will live with me for a long time, writes GEORGE BOUGHEY.

Winning the 2000 Guineas is something every trainer dreams about, and to do it with Bow Echo – a horse we’ve always thought a lot of – made it even more satisfying.

We went into the race with a lot of belief. His work at home had been very good and we felt he was ready to do himself justice, but these races are never straightforward. When you’re taking on the best of your generation, things have to fall right on the day. Thankfully they did, and the way he picked up and went clear in the closing stages was amazing.

A big part of what makes him so good is his temperament. He’s just an incredibly straightforward horse to train – very laid back, very relaxed, and he takes everything in his stride. Those are the sort of horses that make your job a lot easier, especially in the build-up to a race like the Guineas where there’s a lot going on around them. Nothing really phases him, and that gives you confidence going into a big day.

I was also delighted for Billy Loughnane. He’s worked very hard and has been riding out for us for a long time, so for him to get his first Classic on a horse from the yard was brilliant. He gave the horse a very good ride and judged things well when it mattered.

In terms of what comes next, the plan is to head to Royal Ascot rather than go to the Irish 2000 Guineas. He was trained for the Guineas, so it makes sense to give him a bit of time now, freshen him up and build towards Ascot. It’s somewhere we’ve always had in mind for him, and to go there now as a Guineas winner is obviously very exciting.

I think Ascot should suit him well. He settles nicely in his races, travels strongly and has a turn of foot, which is exactly what you need around there. The ground is often on the quicker side as well, and I’ve always felt that’s where he’s at his best.

Looking a bit further ahead, races like the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood Racecourse are the sort of targets that could come into play. He’s a Guineas winner now, so he’s earned the right to take on older horses in those top races, and we’ll see how things develop as the season goes on.

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