RACING:Frances Crowley is to step her recent maiden winner Once Upon A Grace up in class for Saturday's Dimitrova 1000 Guineas Trial Stakes at Leopardstown.
The filly tidily beat Regalline on her debut in a decent event at the Curragh last month and Crowley believes she has shown enough on the gallops to deserve a shot at this Group Three event.
"The plan is to run — she came out of the race well, and the form is working out," said the trainer.
"I never expect them to win, but she had been working very nicely at home.
"She's not in the Guineas itself, and we'll just see what happens on Saturday before worrying about that."
Crowley's biggest Flat victory to date came with Saoire's Irish 1000 Guineas success two years ago and she added: "They are different types, this one would actually work much better than Saoire.
"Obviously you never know about Group Ones, but Once Upon A Grace is certainly a black type filly.
"I was thinking about the Guineas with her last year but she had one or two problems and I could not get her on the track.
"I was not sure either whether she would stay a mile, but the way she won over six last time means she should get the seven on Saturday at least."
John Oxx's Arch Swing could be in line to make her eagerly-awaited seasonal reappearance in the same race.
Around a 16-1 shot for the Stan James-sponsored 1000 Guineas
itself at
Newmarket, she won both her starts at two, the latest a
comfortable success in the Group Three C.L. Weld Park Stakes at the
Curragh.
Another with top form among the 14 entries is the Kevin Prendergast-trained Brazilian Bride, fourth in two Group Ones, the Phoenix and Moyglare Stakes.
Others with decent Pattern form include Jim Bolger's La Conquistadora and Theann, one of a low-key looking trio from Aidan O'Brien.