Watch the Guineas this weekend and enjoy the action from the first two Classics of the British Flat racing season.
The big story for this year’s 2,000 Guineas is Billy Loughnane bidding for his first Classics win on Bow Echo, while the 1,000 Guineas belongs to the fillies and the Aidan O’Brien-trained Precise is looking to be an early favourite.
At a glance
- 2,000 Guineas date: 2 May 2026
- 1,000 Guineas date: 3 May 2026
- Watch the Guineas on TV: ITV (FREE), Racing TV
- Watch the Guineas from anywhere: Use this NordVPN deal – 75% Off
How to watch the Guineas on TV
ITV will screen much of the action from the Betfred Guineas Festival (including the two feature races) live and for free on ITV1 and ITVX, while Racing TV (Sky channel 424/Virgin Media 536) will broadcast via its subscription-based service.
You don’t need an ITVX subscription to watch live racing – just an email address and a valid TV license. You can register for a free account or download the app to your mobile device.
If you’re away from home, you can use NordVPN to secure your stream of the action from anywhere in the world.
What time is the 2,000 Guineas?
The 2,000 Guineas post time is 3.35pm and is the fifth of nine races at Newmarket on Saturday 2 May.
What time is the 1,000 Guineas?
The 1,000 Guineas starts at 3.35pm and is the fourth of seven races at Newmarket on Sunday 3 May.
How to watch the Guineas from anywhere
If you’re away from home and your normal coverage is geo-blocked, a VPN will get you your usual coverage from anywhere in the world.
There are many VPN providers out there, with some more reliable and safe than others. We’d suggest using a paid-for service such as NordVPN, where you can get an exclusive 75% off, which offers a 100% risk-free money back guarantee. If you’re not happy with the service any time within the first 30-days, then you can cancel with no penalties at all.
What are the Guineas?
As the first two Classics of the British Flat racing season, the 2,000 and 1,000 Guineas are among the most famous horse races in the world.
Run over a mile at Newmarket’s Rowley Mile racecourse, the 2,000 Guineas is contested by colts and fillies and the 1,000 Guineas solely by fillies. The two races are limited to three-year-old Thoroughbreds only.
The 2,000 Guineas was first run in 1809, while the inaugural 1,000 Guineas was staged five years later. At the time the races were named after the prize money given to the winner of each – with one guinea amounting to 21 shillings or £1.05.
By the 1860s the Guineas were considered to be two of the most significant races in the UK for three-year-olds and today attract the very best horses of their age in Europe. Often the races highlight potential contenders and winners of the third and fourth Classics of each year, the Derby and Oaks staged at Epsom Downs.
The total prize money for each race is more than £500,000, with the winner of the 2,000 Guineas taking home £297,728, while the winner of the 1,000 Guineas takes home £311,025. The 2,000 Guineas is also the first leg of the Triple Crown, followed by Epsom Derby and St Leger.
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