'They're two very high-class horses' - William Buick on his 2,000 Guineas dilemma

William Buick won last year's Betfred 2,000 Guineas (3.35) on Notable Speech but remains undecided over who he will ride in the first British Classic of the season at Newmarket on Saturday.

Buick has the option of riding champion two-year-old Shadow Of Light or stablemate Ruling Court, with bookmakers finding it hard to split the two Godolphin runners at around the 8-1 mark.

Shadow Of Light is officially rated 8lbs higher than Ruling Court after a fine juvenile campaign that was capped by two Group 1 wins on the Rowley Mile in the Middle Park and Dewhurst Stakes, but he has yet to prove his stamina over a mile.

Ruling Court has no racing experience of Newmarket but won over a mile at Meydan last month under Buick, and the former champion jockey insists he has not made his decision after 17 were kept in contention at Monday's confirmations stage.

Speaking in his role as ambassador for The Jockey Club’s East region, Buick said: "Shadow Of Light is a champion two-year-old and Dewhurst winner so it’s an obvious race for him to go for. Ruling Court is a horse we don’t know as much about but he won the Jumeirah 2,000 Guineas in Dubai on Super Saturday when he couldn’t have done any more. 

“Charlie [Appleby] and I feel they both deserve to be in the 2,000 Guineas. It's a hugely important race and going to be hugely competitive. There are horses in there that have run in and won trials but most of them we haven’t seen yet this year and that is always the thing with both of the Guineas races – you just never really know. 

Shadow Of Light (left): Middle Park and Dewhurst Stakes winner is set to try his hand over a mile in the 2,000 GuineasCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

“I have ridden both Shadow Of Light and Ruling Court this year and you would have to be pleased with both of them. They are two very straightforward and high-class horses. I don’t know if I will get to sit on either of them before declarations time on Thursday – that will be Charlie’s call.” 

On the issue of stamina for Shadow Of Light, a son of Lope De Vega, Buick added: “If you go back to his Dewhurst win, that was on pretty soft ground. His class told that day but equally he had to stay with the way the race unfolded and while you never know until you try, you would have to be pretty hopeful a straight mile on good ground should not be a problem for him.” 

Field Of Gold is the 2-1 favourite for John and Thady Gosden after he impressed in the Craven Stakes at Newmarket this month, with the Aidan O'Brien-trained Twain next in at 5-1.

Buick has no decision to make in the Betfred 1,000 Guineas (3.35) on Sunday, with the unbeaten Desert Flower no bigger than evens with William Hill to win the fillies' Classic for the Appleby stable for the first time. The trainer was delighted with her performance in a workout on the Rowley Mile this month.

Buick said: "Desert Flower was excellent last year and just kept on improving all season right the way through to the Fillies’ Mile, where she probably posted her most impressive win of the year. She's done nothing wrong and having won on the track as a two-year-old is a help. 

“She looks great and I think Charlie and the team have been very happy with her all throughout the winter. She had a nice spin on the track at the Craven meeting. She wasn’t asked any serious questions, but she felt very comfortable doing what she did."

Betfred 2,000 Guineas (3.35 Newmarket, Saturday)

Betfred: 2-1 Field Of Gold, 5 Twain, 7 Ruling Court, Scorthy Champ, 8 Shadow Of Light, 10 Expanded, 14 Cosmic Year, Green Impact, Jonquil, 16 bar

Betfred 1,000 Guineas (3.35 Newmarket, Sunday)

Betfred: 10-11 Desert Flower, 7-2 Lake Victoria, 5 Red Letter, 12 Bedtime Story, 20 Exactly, 25 bar

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