Favourite Air Force Blue one of 17 entries for 2000 Guineas

Air Force Blue features among 17 horses confirmed at the five-day entry stage for the Qipco 2000 Guineas at Newmarket on Saturday.

Aidan O’Brien’s star colt is odds-on to take the first Classic of the season following a stellar juvenile campaign that saw him win three Group One races — the Phoenix Stakes, the National Stakes and the Dewhurst.

O’Brien has three other possibles in Air Vice Marshal, Bravery and Shogun as he seeks to take the Classic for a record eighth time.

Godolphin suffered a blow when their main hope Emotionless was ruled out of the race, but they can still mount a decent challenge, being represented by the Mark Johnston-trained Buratino, Jim Bolger's Herald The Dawn and Ribchester, trained by Richard Fahey.

Massaat, runner-up to Air Force Blue in the Dewhurst, will be Owen Burrows’ first Classic runner after he took over from Barry Hills.

His owner Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum also has Taqdeer, trained by John Gosden.

Peter Chapple-Hyam relies on his Racing Post Trophy victor Marcel, while Ed Walker looks to Stormy Antarctic following his convincing victory in the Craven Stakes over the course and distance earlier this month.

The list of possibles is completed by Blue De Vega, First Selection, Galileo Gold, Kentuckyconnection, Zhui Feng and Zonderland.

Meanwhile Jet Setting has been supplemented for the Qipco 1000 Guineas.

Bought out of Richard Hannon's yard for 12,000 guineas after failing to win as a juvenile, she is unbeaten in two starts for County Kildare trainer Adrian Keatley this year.

The most recent of those was when she made all of the running in the Guineas Trial at Leopardstown, relishing the soft ground.

And the fact Newmarket has rain forecast was a contributory factor to her addition in the field.

Keatley said: “There are a couple of new investors in the syndicate (Equinegrowthpartners) and the lads were keen to supplement.

“It’s raining at Newmarket at the moment and the ground looks like being on the easy side.

“It’s not a case of that she has to have it (soft ground), it’s more a case of what the others can’t do in it.

“She’s very effective on the soft, more so than the others.”

Jet Setting is one of 17 fillies going forward for the Classic, which include the hot favourite Minding.

Aidan O’Brien’s three-year-old has not been seen in public since demolishing her rivals in the Fillies’ Mile in October.

O'Brien could also run Ballydoyle, winner of the Prix Marcel Boussac, and Alice Springs, who was third behind Jet Setting at Leopardstown.

John Gosden's Nell Gwyn winner Nathra, second to Minding in the Fillies' Mile, and Mark Johnston's Cheveley Park winner Lumiere head up the home defence.

Richard Hannon’s Illuminate, Brian Meehan’s Blue Bayou, Jim Bolger’s Turret Rocks and the Criquette Head-Maarek-trained Midweek are among the other major contenders.