Alongside the Craven Stakes at Newmarket, the Greenham Stakes at Newbury is one of the key early-season trials for the 2000 Guineas, the first colt’s classic of the season in early May. The Greenham is staged over seven furlongs in April and has a £60,000 prize fund as well as Group 3 status.
Unsurprisingly this race has a fine record of producing Guineas types, past participants to have won both events including Wollow and the legendary Frankel.
Also, Mill Reef took this race on the way to winning the Derby, Wassl and Turtle Island both won the Greenham before taking the Irish 2000 Guineas and Paco Boy was a popular victor who later took the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes and Lockinge Stakes, the latter race at this track.
Most recently, Night Of Thunder was runner-up in this race before landing the 2000 Guineas, while the winner that year, Kingman subsequently took the Irish 2000 Guineas, the St James’s Palace Stakes, and Sussex Stakes and is already considered a leading sire.
The Greenham Stakes was inaugurated in 1906 and is named for the civil parish where the racecourse is located.