This Saturday (4 May) marks a change in the racing seasons. The jumps season formally ends at Punchestown while, over at Newmarket, the first classic of the flat season - the 2000 Guineas - will be run.

There’s not a lot more to say about the jumps season (Willie Mullins won everything, in case you were in a coma) so let’s move on to the flat, which is arguably more exciting these days than National Hunt racing.

City Of Troy is the talking horse for 2024 (or should that be the Trojan horse?). Trained by Aidan O’Brien, this colt was the European champion two-year-old last year and is the odds-on favourite for the 2000 Guineas.

There’s talk of him being the next Frankel (who won the 2000 Guineas by six lengths in 2011 and was unbeaten in 14 career starts), or even emulating Nijinsky, who completed the Guineas/Derby/St Leger Triple Crown in 1970, a feat unequalled since.

2000 Guineas

Over the past 25 years, Aidan O’Brien has won the 2000 Guineas 10 times. His latest success was in 2019 so you could say he is well overdue another victory in the one-mile classic. However, he has had a lot of beaten favourites in the race too – remember Auguste Rodin last year – and none of his 10 winners were odds-on favourites.

All the vibes are good about City Of Troy. “Horses like him are very rare,” O’Brien says. But at his current odds of 4/6, I think we can let him run without our money and have a couple of bets at Punchestown instead.

It’s the turn of the fillies at Newmarket on Sunday when the 1000 Guineas is the feature race. I’ve got a great bet for you in this one - the French filly Ramatuelle at 10/1.

Like City Of Troy, she is by the top American stallion Justify and she looked very special last summer when she competed against colts - and beat them - in some big races.

She finished second in her comeback race in early April on heavy ground and wasn’t given a hard time by her jockey.

Another outsider worth a wager in this race is See The Fire, a filly by Sea The Stars who mixed it with the best last season despite little experience.