Irish racing expert Fran Berry provides his picks for this weekend's Classic action from the Curragh, including a couple of fancies on the Saturday card.
With some unusually hot weather in store it should be a very fair and informative Guineas weekend. Here's hoping anyway!
Saturday's Tattersalls Irish 2,000 Guineas sees Gstaad go one better than at Newmarket and given the distances the front two came clear of Distant Storm that day, it's hard to see anything but a victory for Aidan O'Brien's charge, who may only need to reproduce his form rather than take a massive step forward for the comeback run.
The likes of Thesecretadversary, were he to settle, could run into the money, along with Karl Burke's Alparslan who won at the Curragh as a juvenile but I see no need to take on Gstaad.
In the proceeding race, the Group 3 Gallinule, O'Brien and Ryan Moore team up with Causeway, who is stepping up in distance having been on a roll over a mile this spring.
The longer trip should suit Causeway well on paper although it's interesting to see connections are taking off the cheekpieces here; perhaps they think the distance will negate the need.
However, O'Brien may well be running one of his better fillies in against Causeway in the shape of DROP DEAD GORGEOUS who has the potential to be well above average. A Naas maiden winner on her debut this March, she looked the one to take from the race when third in the Athasi Stakes over a mile at the Curragh earlier this month.
Three of the first four are all in with a chance of making the places in Sunday's Irish 1,000 Guineas and Drop Dead Gorgeous will be very interesting going up in trip here. She's worthy of a bet against the favourite but, either way, keep her in mind her future engagements.
Race eight is a huge field in which most firms are likely to offer generous each-way terms. One horse who should enter calculations is Headmaster who was an eyecatcher on debut for Eddie Lynam.
With a high draw in stall 17 and the benefit of that seasonal debut, he looks quite appealing with last year's champion jockey Dylan Browne-McMonagle on board.
Another eyecatcher last time, COUNT BEZUKHOV goes under the same jockey for trainer Joseph O'Brien in the concluding maiden. He really learnt on the job on debut at Leopardstown, getting third right on the line after shaping as though he'd benefit from the outing. A tongue-tie is also enlisted this time.
That race had a good look to it on the day and given the way he fared, there should be much more to come.
With Aidan O'Brien not having a runner, this one might be left to the colt running in the Westerberg/Coolmore partners silks.
Love and Heart to shine on Sunday
The Irish 1,000 Guineas is Sunday's highlight and True Love has now proven she can stretch out to a mile on the back of a brilliant display at Newmarket.
Given the manner in which she hit the line there, there's no shock to see Ryan Moore switch over to ride her.
Perhaps the only slight concern for those taking skinny odds could be stall one. I'm sure Moore will be keen to get cover, seeing as she'll need to settle, and it'll be an interesting watch to see how it transpires for her with three furlongs to run. With clear sailing, she looks a class above.
Having been at Ballydoyle last Monday week, one came away from that visit wondering if Precise might still need another run to reach her peak - possibly in one of the Oaks or a race at Royal Ascot.
Outside of True Love, one who could run better than her odds is Pivotal Attack who beat Amelia Earhart in a Galway maiden last summer and wasn't disgraced when a three-length third behind True Love on seasonal debut at Leopardstown.
Joe Murphy is a trainer who tends to punch above his weight so his filly might be the one for each-way punters.
Race three on Sunday is a three-year-old handicap over a mile for fillies and PREVALENCE firmly went into the notebook last time.
She won at Dundalk on her second start last term and emerged as the one to take from the race on her seasonal debut. In a slowly-run affair, she went quite keenly and found herself in a pocket before only getting going inside the final furlong. There was a brief moment her jockey appeared to stop riding before being gathered up again to finish third.
It was a good start to her campaign and there could be a lot more improvement to come. With Colin Keane on duty in France, Nicola Burns gets another chance to claim with her 5lb allowance.
We round off the weekend with the last race which looks a cracking mile and six-furlong handicap. Lots of these are starting their campaign with Royal Ascot and maybe even the Galway Hurdle in mind.
Lark In The Morning and Delta could fit into those categories, while you can throw Reverend Hubert into the mix too. They're all worth watching but Willie Mullins' STORM HEART catches the eye.
He may not have been at his best at Punchestown last time but his earlier form including at the Cheltenham Festival marked him down as one with a big handicap or two in the locker.
He's risen to a mark of 149 over hurdles in Ireland and switches back to the Flat off 82 on the level here. He won on the Flat in France, has got a nice draw in stall seven and also gets Ben Coen for company this weekend. His race-fitness should give him the edge in this field.
Published at 15:15 BST on 22/05/26
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