Alkazim
An eight race maiden who has finished runner-up on five of those starts, including his first four runs where he made the useful Wrote work hard and picked up a big pot in a sales race. Ran well behind Light Heavy on his return but a shade disappointing over 10f last time and facing another tough task.
Born To Sea
Well-related son of Invincible Spirit who made a winning September debut in Listed company before returning lame when turned over at odds-on by Nephrite in a Group Three a month later. Raced with the choke out when down the field in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket and will need to settle better in first time blinkers if he's to provide his trainer with a first winner in this race.
Daddy Long Legs
Reportedly failed to handle the dirt surface when pulled up in the Kentucky Derby but had previously won the UAE Derby at Meydan. Return to turf no problem having won a Group Two at Newmarket last season but he does have something to find with Trumpet Major on their clash earlier that year so will need to be at his best and has clocked up a lot of air miles already this season.
Foxtrot Romeo
A brother to the useful Air Chief Marshall among others who impressed in a Hamilton maiden on debut before ending his juvenile season with a close-up fourth in the Mill Reef Stakes. Missed the English equivalent due to a cough but is reportedly firing on all systems now and has strengthened up over the winter.
Hermival
Back-end maiden winner who shaped well on his reappearance over seven behind French Fifteen in the Prix Djebel but finished further behind that rival when third in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket. First home on his side though and may have been disadvantaged by racing in a smaller group. Obvious claims of becoming the first French trained winner of this race since Spinning World in 1996 if handling the quicker conditions.
Parish Hall
Remarkably, his trainer had yet to win this race but his experienced handler rates this colt as being right up there with anything that he's trained. Unraced this season due to the prevailing soft ground, his best effort as a juvenile came when winning the Dewhurst Stakes from Power and there should be more to come as he steps up in trip this season. Set to take his chance in next week's Epsom Derby.
Power
Towards the top of the pecking order last year with his two defeats coming at the highest level, going down by just a quarter of a length and a half length, so hugely disappointing that he never got competitive at Newmarket where he beat one home. However, he reportedly failed to handle the ground that day and also suffered a setback during the winter so he may well prove a different proposition with that run behind him back on a faster surface. In that regard, the booking of Joseph O'Brien has to be viewed as a positive.
Reply
Useful juvenile whose defeats, debut aside, have come in Group races, including when posting a career best to finish third in the Middle Park on his final start. Running style suggests that he should prove effective over this trip but has ground to make up on the leading form candidates and his stable have stronger contenders.
Takar
Fared best of the newcomers in a warm October maiden won by stablemate Call To Battle before impressively opening his account at the second time of asking. Justified market support on his return when landing a Listed race in taking fashion and this exciting prospect is one to bear in mind although he has done all of his racing with cut in the ground and faces a significant rise in class.
Trumpet Major
Fourth in the QIPCO 2000 Guineas after an impressive victory in the Craven Stakes. This experienced colt was felt to have run a big race on ground that blunts his natural speed and connections (who won this race with Canford Cliffs in 2010) have high hopes of atoning for a slightly unfortunate defeat in this race 12 months ago with conditions drying out.
Wrote
Yet to finish outside the first three in seven career starts, winning three of them with the highlight his success in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf. Beaten two lengths into third in the UAE Derby before filling the same position in the Derrinstown when odds-on. Possible the drop to a mile and faster ground will bring about an improved performance but others boast stronger claims.
Summary
Trumpet Major could easily have been bidding to complete a hat-trick in this race for his trainer and makes some each-way appeal at around 7-1 while it's not difficult to see Power bouncing back from an abject display at Newmarket just as Roderic O'Connor did 12 months ago, albeit in a very different contest.
However, Jim Bolger's assertation that there's nothing around to give Parish Hall "a tough race in the Irish Guineas" is well worth taking note of and the market support during the course of the last week suggests that plenty of punters are prepared to back his opinion.
Concerns are that his trainer felt that he was an ideal Epsom horse last season and that next weekend's race could be the primary target so, with his price having halved since the start of the week, it's questionable how much value remains but it's hard to forget the words of his trainer who is not naturally given to hyperbole.
