1440 Longchamp: Poule D'essai Des Pouliches
After last week's classic double at Newmarket and victory in the Derby trial at Chester, Aidan O'Brien has entries in the French versions of both the 1000 and 2000 Guineas. Up is his main representative in this fillies' Group 1 with her third to stablemate Homecoming Queen at Leopardstown looking a lot better now than it did at the time, though she has a bit to find to overturn that running with the tough and consistent Fire Lily.
Both, however, may be playing for places behind BEAUTY PARLOUR, who looked a potentially high-class performer when extending her unbeaten record in a Group 3 over C&D last month. Miss Carmie was a staying-on third that day but it's still difficult to see how she'll reverse the placings with Elie Lellouche's filly. Petite Noblesse also won easily at Longchamp last month but takes a steep rise in class here and Lily America will have to improve on her narrow defeat of Kendam at Saint-Cloud to figure.
1445 Leopardstown: Amethyst Stakes
FAMOUS NAME has won this for the past two years when long odds-on and it will be a shock if he's beaten here despite a rare poor run in the Group 2 Bet365 Mile at Sandown. Sweet Lightning benefited from a spell in Meydan by taking last year's Lincoln at Doncaster from Brae Hill, who went one better this time. He'll be having his first start for Tommy Carmody here and it's hard to see him beating Famous Name after such a long break. Barack was well beaten in this a year ago and by Famous Name again last month and along with the remaining duo is playing for a place.
1510 Longchamp: Poule D'essai Des Poulains
DABIRSIM will start a deserved short-price favourite for this despite losing his unbeaten record over C&D last time. A high-class two-year-old, he looked every bit as good on his reappearance when effortlessly taking a commanding lead, only for Christophe Soumillon to misjudge the fast-finishing challenge of today's rival Dragon Pulse and end up beaten a head. It's unlikely his jockey will make the same mistake today and he's the one to beat.
Dragon Pulse was no slouch himself when with Jessica Harrington last year and rates a danger as he had Ballydoyle's Furner's Green behind when runner-up in the National Stakes at the Curragh while Coup De Ville finished a respectable fifth to Camelot in last week's 2000 Guineas at Newmarket. The latter should go well again and makes more appeal than the other UK challengers Telwaar and Gregorian. Nutello continues to improve and we may not have seen the best of Beauvoir yet.
1515 Leopardstown: Derrinstown Stud 1,000 Guineas Trial
Bethrah won this in 2010 for Dermot Weld before going on to classic glory at the Curragh and YELLOW ROSEBUD is taken to score for the stable again. She made a winning start here in June before an excellent second to Maybe at the Curragh and didn't look at her best in the Group 1 Marcel Boussac at Longchamp on her final start. Remember Alexander and Soon were both behind the selection at the Curragh and though fit enough after recent runs shouldn't turn the tables but Coral Wave looks a big threat.
She improved throughout her first campaign culminating in a thrilling victory over Homecoming Queen on heavy ground at the Curragh and that form has been given an almighty boost by the runner-up. Princess Sinead was very close up in third in that latter event and with a run under her belt already this term she should go well.
1545 Leopardstown: Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial Stakes
Aidan O'Brien has won this seven times in the past ten years and is represented by WROTE and Tower Rock. The former looks the stable pick after a brilliant first campaign which culminated in his victory in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf and he was by no means disgraced behind stablemate Daddy Long Legs in the UAE Derby at Meydan in March.
Mickdaam, who finished fourth, won the Chester Vase this week when Call To Battle, who had finished over 2l behind Light Heavy here last month, was a close third. That puts Jim Bolger's lightly-raced colt right in the picture here and he looks the one to bustle up the Ballydoyle colt, especially as Tower Rock was behind him last time. The remaining pair have plenty to do.
1630 Capannelle: Premio Presidente Della Repubblica
2011 Italian Derby winner Crackerjack King and Waldpark, who won the German equivalent, both have strong claims in this Group 1 event. Estejo can't be left out of calculations either, as he won last year's renewal, but a chance is taken on AFSARE. The latter failed to win last season but ran some good races in defeat including when fourth in a Group 2 race not far behind runner-up Campanologist. The latter picked up a couple of Group 1 races in Europe last year so Luca Cumani's charge doesn't have that much to find with today's opposition on that basis. Neither does Sri Putra for that matter although a poor strike rate tempers enthusiasm for Roger Varian's six-year-old.
