Richard Fahey’s Malton-trained Perfect Power all set to take his chance in Saturday’s Qipco 2000 Guineas

Perfect Power was one of 19 colts to stand their ground at Monday’s confirmation stage and is a general 10-1 shot with the bookmakers for the season’s first classic.

The Malton-trained horse has an impressive record of five wins and a third place from seven starts, including victory in last season’s Group Two Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot under Paul Hanaghan.

After finishing down the field in the Richmond Stakes at Goodwood under Hanaghan, Perfect Power claimed back-to-back Group Ones in the Darley Prix Morny at Deauville and the Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket last September, when ridden by Christophe Soumillion.

The French jockey kept the ride for Perfect Power’s return to the track earlier this month when he picked up nicely in the closing stages to win the Greenham Stakes at Newbury.

Soumillion said: “When I asked him to go, he quickened really well and did everything perfectly.

“He’s a real champ – he didn’t grow up a lot [over winter] but he has a lot of muscle.

“He did everything in the race professionally, he won like a very good horse.”

Although Perfect Power has won at Newmarket, that was over six furlongs and the 2,000 Guineas is the first time he has been tried over a mile.

But Soumillion said if connections don’t try, they will never know.

He said: “He can go for it. It always depends on the ground, the draw, how the race is run and who are the horses to beat.

“But you never know. If you are not trying, you can’t beat them.”

Godolphin’s Native Trail and Coroebus are the top two in the market for Saturday’s feature ahead of the Aidan O’Brien-trained Luxembourg.

The unbeaten son of Camelot is one of three potential Ballydoyle representatives along with Glounthaune and Point Lonsdale.

Hugo Palmer is confident Dubawi Legend can give Native Trail a run for his moneyDubawi Legend was only two lengths behind Native Trail when runner-up in the Dewhurst last season, however, and his trainer – who won the 2,000 Guineas six years ago with Galileo Gold – believes his latest challenger has what it takes to make his presence felt.

“His turn of foot and his change of gear is what’s exciting about him,” said Palmer, who trains at Michael Owen’s Manor House Farm. “He only has to improve 10 per cent and we’re right there on the premises.”

While respectful of the threat posed by Native Trail, Palmer is not frightened of taking him on.

He said: “Native Trail beat a whole lot of maiden winners and horses that were 50-1 for the Guineas in the Craven. At the same time, I don’t think William Buick had to hit him more than once and he beat them three and a half lengths and you don’t know what was there.

“I think it’s going to be a pretty big field on Saturday. There’s 19 left in and you don’t stay in for free, so you must stay in with the thought of you’re going to run.

“I can’t help but think a bigger field will hinder Native Trail as there’ll be some non-stayers stopping in front of him. There’ll be some non-stayers stopping in front of us as well, of course.”