Aidan O’Brien is responsible for almost half the field but it’s an English raider who looks the one to beat in the first Irish Classic of the season on Saturday.
O’Brien, whose St Nicholas Abbey was a disappointing favourite for the English 2000 Guineas in Newmarket three weeks ago, will have high hopes for Steinbeck.
The Footstepsinthesand colt is clearly well-regarded and was the most fancied of the trainer’s quartet in the Dewhurst Stakes at the tail end of last season, but could manage just fourth place, with two O’Brien outsiders filling first and second.
One of those, Fencing Master, ran a creditable seventh in the Newmarket Guineas earlier this month and it would be no surprise if he put up a good show again this time.
All of O’Brien’s entries – his representation is completed by Dynasty, Encompassing, Purple Heart and Viscount Nelson – will have to show improved form to get past the English-trained duo Canford Cliffs, the likely favourite, and Xtension, who finished third and fourth respectively at Newmarket.
Richard Hannon’s Canford Cliffs looked a dazzling prospect when streaking six lengths clear of the field in the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot last summer and any suggestions that he would be best suited by sprint distances were blown out of the water by his staying-on third three weeks ago.
Xtension is admirably consistent and would be a popular winner for a smaller trainer in Clive Cox but on form it’s difficult to see him reversing placings with Canford Cliffs, who came out on top in both their Newmarket Guineas and the Coventry Stakes head-to-heads.
The remainder of the challenge is led by one apiece from three of O’Brien’s domestic rivals, with Jim Bolger saddling Free Judgement, John Oxx sending Keredari and Noll Wallop from the Tommy Stack yard all set to go to post.
However, the feeling is that on the whole this is a below-par Guineas, and the percentage bet is to go with the principals from the English version. Take Cliffs to hit the highs.
JOE’s 2000 GUINEAS VERDICT: Canford Cliffs
The second day of the Guineas Festival on Sunday showcases the 1000 Guineas for fillies.
Most attention in the build-up to this event has been paid to the decision of Tommy Stack to cough up more than €30,000 to supplement Lolly For Dolly to the field, and the bookmakers have acted accordingly with at least one major layer installing the Oratorio filly as outright favourite.
However, at around 9/2 the field and 19 runners this one looks wide open so it would be no surprise to see a couple of relative outsiders contesting the finish.
The other market leaders are invaders, with Mick Channon’s Music Show and the Mahmood Al Zarooni’s Anna Salai also vying for favouritism, while Gile Na Greine will bid to go two better than her fast-finishing third in the Newmarket version three weeks ago.
That run gives Gile Na Greine every chance and at 7/1 she looks value but marginal preference is for Dermot Weld’s Bethrah.
Bethrah won the Derrinstown Stud 1000 Guineas Trial at Leopardstown two weeks ago and looks the right type to graduate to Classic success here.
Elsewhere on the card, Aidan O’Brien’s Fame And Glory, last year’s Irish Derby winner, is a hot favourite to take another Group 1 victory in the Tattersalls Gold Cup.
Fame And Glory faces just five rivals, including the unbeaten Cutlass Bay, whch seeks to make it five from five. Godolphin’s four-year-old has raced exclusively in France to date, winning the Prix Ganay Prix Air Mauritius by a taking two and a half lengths last time out, but it’s a step-up in class in different surroundings so it would be a surprise if he had the measure of Fame And Glory.
JOE’s 1000 GUINEAS VERDICT: Bethrah
