Sun drenched spring mornings at Ballydoyle can't help but engender optimism. It's their nature. You may as well try and stop that same sun rising.

Battalions of blue blooded three-year-olds, with unlimited potential, being honed to perfection for the classics. It's an annual scene that has heralded the dawn of legends such as Nijinksy and Sir Ivor.

Of course, along with them have been plenty of anti-climaxes, but at yesterday morning's Ballydoyle press day, it was hard to escape the feeling that this year all bets with caution are off.

An almost unprecedented level of success at two-year-old level last year has left Aidan O'Brien with a string of classic horses that contains a remarkable strength in depth.

Some of them comprised second lot yesterday morning and after their work they cooled down with a pick of grass. In between the thoroughbred circle that glistened with wellbeing was a pack of scribblers that didn't. It was easy to spot which group O'Brien was keeping an eye on.

"There's Bernstein, he'll probably start at the deep end in one of the Guineas. He's just got natural speed, you can't teach it,["] says O'Brien as Bernstein's dark face lowers to tear at the grass.

Behind Bernstein ranged some of the familiar names that dominated Europe's juvenile races last season. Mull Of Kintyre, Ciro, Aristotle, Royal Kingdom, the once-raced Shakespeare, who has matured into a frame that suggests even his name may not be that grandiose.

In the face of such talent even O'Brien is hard pressed to remain cautious. Monashee Mountain, the first of Ballydoyle's big guns, fired a resounding winning salvo on Sunday and the reverberations have been entirely positive.

"The three-year-olds are forward and all working to a high level.

Looking at them last year, they seem to have natural ability and they work as if they are on a par with each other. If one or two improve or maintain their form, it's encouraging for the rest of them," O'Brien says before leading the hack-pack to the stables.

The chestnut head staring out of box four in the yard is identified as Giant's Causeway, unbeaten and second favourite for the 2,000 Guineas.

"It's very hard to pick holes in him," says O'Brien. "He was very impressive last year and if the ground is not too heavy he could run in the Gladness Stakes."

In box one is Monashee Mountain, box two has Bernstein, and in three is Shakespeare. Maybe it's an unconscious pecking order but O'Brien ain't saying if it isn't.

"Box four was Desert King's and Stravinsky's," he grins. "And box one was Sir Ivor's. I don't know. It's the lads who decide what horse goes where, not me. And once they're in, they stay. We'll see what kind of judges the lads are!"

The early season focus may be on the Guineas but O'Brien was able to name five potential Derby colts, "the ones that would hit you first anyway". They are Bach, Ciro, Apollo Victoria, Shakespeare and Aristotle. It's a hit that will make every other trainer in Europe wince.

Among the fillies, Inkling could go straight for the 1,000 Guineas, but the unraced pair of Paper Moon and Elegant As Always are also singled out for mention. And there are three fouryear-olds being kept in training - the Guineas winner Saffron Walden, Urban Ocean, and the magnificent-looking Coliseum, who may return from knee trouble in the Mooresbridge Stakes.

O'Brien admitted that his string of 70 two-year-olds for this season may by definition be less awe-inspiring in depth compared to 1999, but it was hard to tell by looking at them, particularly Giant's Causeway's full brother who rejoices in the name of Freud. "He's showing unbelievable speed and we might keep him for that maiden on Irish 2,000 Guineas day."

In the meantime, however, there are classics to be won and yesterday's press preview did nothing to dilute the impression that this could be Ballydoyle's year to an extent rarely seen before.

That will be some achievement considering there is a plaque outside each stable at Ballydoyle containing the name of a top class horse trained at the stables in the past. By the time this summer is over, new stables may well have to be built.