Trials and tribulations of Godolphin as they shuffle the Classic pack

Failure to win a British Classic since 2004 and a tally of six Group One winners in 2007, their lowest haul since 1997 saw Sheikh Mohammed's elite team face stinging criticism over their performance last year.

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Classic team: Sheikh Mohammed (left) and Simon Crisford

Sheikh Mohammed is in prime position to win next month's Stan James 2,000 Guineas with shares in Jim Bolger's New Approach, the 5-2 favourite with the sponsors, and his closest market rival, John Gosden's 11-2 chance Ravens Pass.

But the performance of Godolphin runners, headed by Racing Post Trophy winner Ibn Khaldun, a 7-1 shot, will be closely scrutinised. He could be joined by Dewhurst stakes runner-up Fast Company, with Rio De La Plata more likely to run in the French Guineas.

Crisford said: "One or two publications may have criticised us but it makes no difference. So what, who cares?

"We will be trying to get the best out of our horses, as always. The Guineas' are important but the difference this year is we are going with proven three-year-olds, while last year we went into bat with a maiden winner.

"We are having racecourse gallops rather than trials on Monday and Thursday, which is what we did last year.

"We have done nothing differently. We have been champion owners in England for the last two seasons."

While the Godolphin hand looks stronger this season, Aidan O'Brien's Guineas team, depleted by the injury to filly Listen this week, must be dredged out of a largely disappointing two-year-old season.

But O'Brien warned there were reasons why his squad struggled.

Jupiter Pluvius (10-1) is his shortest-priced colt in the 2,000 Guineas betting, but the Ballydoyle trainer has Henrythenavigator and Plan - a Leopardstown maiden winner - in the mix, plus unraced Zulu Chief, who should make his debut at next week's Newmarket Craven meeting.

O'Brien said: "Last year the two-year-olds were not good enough and had a lull in the middle of the summer. We had to back off them. We don't know if it was because they were not good enough or not right. But we made sure we did not do any damage to them."

Confront, who will run in a trial at Newbury or Newmarket next week, is Sir Michael Stoute's 2,000 Guineas hope. Stoute also pinpointed Newmarket maiden second Tartan Bearer, Golan's brother and a Derby entry, as a promising colt.

Stoute said: "He has had a foot problem and is behind schedule, but he is nice and I like him."