The great expectations for Rainbow View will be under scrutiny for the first time this season at Newmarket on Sunday when George Strawbridge's European juvenile filly champion tackles 14 rivals in the 1000 Guineas Stakes. The undefeated daughter of Dynaformer is Ladbrokes' 11-10 favorite in the $557,000 one-mile fillies classic as she attempts to add her name to a list of winners that includes Hatoof, Miesque, and Pebbles.

An upset may be brewing in the 201st running of the 2000 Guineas Stakes at Newmarket on Saturday when 17 3-year-olds line up for the $557,000 classic mile. Holes can be shot in many of the favorites, while the antepost choice himself, Delegator, must overcome a jinx that has seen 14 of the last 15 Guineas favorites fail to succeed.

Two hundred years ago this Saturday, eight 3-year-old colts lined up at the far end of the Rowley Mile at Newmarket Racecourse in Suffolk, England. About a minute and 40 seconds later, Wizard became the first winner of the 2000 Guineas, a race that radically altered the way in which the world of Thoroughbred racing was structured.

Presvis came from last to first to win the $1.8 million Queen Elizabeth II Cup at Sha Tin on Sunday, gaining a well-deserved first triumph at the Group 1 level.

A gelded 5-year-old son of Sakhee, Presvis sped past the defending champ and favorite, Viva Pataca, at the sixteenth-pole to record a one-length victory as the 2.90-1 second choice, covering the 1 1/4 miles on a yielding surface in 2:02.97 under Ryan Moore.

Vision d'Etat returned to winning ways with a comfortable victory in the $394,000 Prix Ganay at Longchamp on Sunday. Last year's French Derby winner, he scored by three-quarters of a length over Loup Breton, covering the 1 5/16 miles under Ioritz Mendizabal in 2:09.43 on good ground as the 7-5 favorite.

There were a pair of classy winners at Sandown Park on Saturday as Paco Boy landed the Group 2 Sandown Mile, while Tartan Bearer was a narrow winner of the Group 3 Gordon Richards Stakes.

Paco Boy erased any doubts about his ability to stay a mile with his three-quarter-length victory in the $147,000 Sandown Mile, holding off both Dream Eater and third-place Virtual through the long uphill stretch to record his first victory at the distance following four group race successes at seven furlongs.

Vision d'Etat should be ready to show his true colors at Longchamp on Sunday in the first European Group 1 race of the year, the $262,000 Prix Ganay.

Last year's French Derby winner, Vision d'Etat was not fully wound up three weeks ago when he finished third in the Group 2 Prix d'Harcourt, but is expected to make amends at his best distance of 1 5/16 miles.

Vision d'Etat will again face his Harcourt betters Trincot and The Bogberry, but this time at equal weights. In the Harcourt he had spotted Trincot three pounds and The Bogberry seven.

Following an uncharacteristically poor sixth-place finish in the Dubai Duty Free, Archipenko will seek redemption at Sha Tin on Sunday when he defends his title in the $1.8 million Queen Elizabeth II Cup, a race that will go without Artiste Royal, whose connections ultimately declined an invitation from the Hong Kong Jockey Club to run in the 1 1/4-mile Group 1 contest.

Trainer Mike de Kock had no explanation for Archipenko s dull effort at Nad Al Sheba, where he had previously taken the Group 3 Zabeel Mile. Kevin Shea has the ride aboard the Kingmambo

Tartan Bearer returns to action after a 10-month absence at Sandown Park on Saturday in the Group 3, $94,000 Gordon Richards Stakes.

Second by a half-length to the European Horse of the Year, New Approach, in the Epsom Derby and full brother to the 2000 Guineas and King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes winner, Golan, Tartan Bearer has not been seen on a racecourse since finishing a most unlucky fourth in the Irish Derby, in which he was moved up to third via disqualification.

Friday's Group 3, $95,000 Sandown Classic Trial is the first major stepping-stone on the road to the Epsom Derby. The 1 1/4-mile test up the long, half-mile Sandown Park stretch has drawn six Derby possibles, three of whom have the potential to make an impact this season.