Irish and British 2,000 Guineas

[Elles]

How do the Irish and the British 2,000 guineas compare?
Are there any differences between the races and/or the horses that race in them?

[Mickey the Marcher]

How do the Irish and the British 2,000 guineas compare?
Are there any differences between the races and/or the horses that race in them?

Don't think I've ever heard any one call it the British 2000 Guineas, usually the English 2000 Guineas. However, the proper name for the race is simply "2000 guineas", with no geographical qualifier, just like the Derby at Epsom.

The English version is held 3 weeks before the Irish version, on the first Saturday in May (same day as Kentucky Derby) It usually draws a bigger field than the Irish Guineas. There is usually a certain amount of overlap in runners, and a number of horses have won or attempted "the double".

The 2000 Guineas at Newmarket is over a straight mile. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yg--FSBJ_hQ

The 2000 Guineas at the Curragh is around one gentle right hand turn (called the "elbow").
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5s6BMVKI7Mw
Sometimes the race ends up on the stands' side rail, depending on ground conditions.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4Movl19Oho

The English race is the more famous and perhaps the more prestigious of the the two, but the Irish Guineas is a nice feather in a colt's cap.

The Irish 2000 Guineas is the only European Classic race won by an American trained horse, when Irish born trainer Leo O'Brien sent Fourstatsallstar over from his base at Belmont to take the honours in 1991.
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[Elles]

Thank you Mickey the Marcher. That makes it clear to me.

And I shall never call the English race British again .