Sport : Horse Racing

SAMITAR FACING BALLYDOYLE BIG GUNS

22nd May 2012, 01:42pm

Samitar: Sole British entry

Samitar: Sole British entry

Mick Channon's Samitar is the only British entry in the Etihad Airways Irish 1,000 Guineas with Sunday's Curragh Classic dominated by Aidan O'Brien.

Wide-margin English Guineas winner Homecoming Queen heads a potential field of 14 - half of which are made up from Ballydoyle fillies.

O'Brien has managed to land this event on five previous occasions, including with Misty For Me 12 months ago.

Others in the line-up are Maybe, who lost her unbeaten record when third as a hot favourite behind Homecoming Queen, while she could be joined by After, Devotion, Ishvana, Soon and Wonderful.

Samitar was well-beaten in the French Guineas and more obvious other contenders look to be Kevin Prendergast's Newmarket fifth La Collina and Yellow Rosebud, who was produced by Dermot Weld to win the recent trial at Leopardstown. Weld is also a four-time winner of the Irish Guineas.

Caprella, the Jim Bolger pair of Cleofila and Janey Muddles plus Jessica Harrington's Princess Sinead are the others in the mix.

A notable absentee was Lightening Pearl. Ger Lyons' filly won the Group One Cheveley Park Stakes last term but could finish only 13th behind Homecoming Queen at Newmarket on her seasonal return.

That was Lightening Pearl's first crack at a mile and Lyons is now planning to drop back in trip for the tyregiant.com Summer Stakes at York next month.

He tweeted: "Morning, it has been decided not to run LP in IRE 1000gns. We will wait till July at York to race her again & will drop her back in trip."

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