York preview: Ireland's influence on the Juddmonte International has been present from the start, when Roberto handed out Brigadier Gerard's sole defeat in 1972, and today Dylan Thomas will attempt to become the fifth Irish-trained winner of the Ebor festival's greatest prize.
Michael Kinane takes over on the Irish Derby winner due to Kieren Fallon's ban from riding in Britain, and the impression that Dylan Thomas made when winning at the Curragh means he will probably start a very warm favourite to emulate Aidan O'Brien's previous Juddmonte winner, Giants Causeway (2000).
The drop back to a mile and a quarter is not causing O'Brien any headaches before Dylan Thomas' comeback, but ground conditions that are expected to have some dig could be a very different matter.
"Good ground would be fair to everyone," admitted the champion trainer, who nevertheless added: "Going back to 10 furlongs will not be a problem as he has plenty of pace. He's a big, classy horse who is in good shape. Mick has not ridden him before so we hope things will go right."
The upside for the favourite, though, is a seven-strong opposition that are clearly talented but hardly constitute the strongest renewal of this Group One prize. Significantly, their connections are all looking to Dylan Thomas as the obvious class act.
"I think soft ground should help Laverock," said Bruce Raymond, spokesman for the French hope's owner.
"It will definitely help level things up with a horse like Dylan Thomas."
Maraahel's rider, Richard Hills, also pointed to the Irish horse as the one to beat, while Godolphin rely on the former Arc runner-up Cherry Mix, whose Group One-wining form, however, has come in Italy and Germany.
The evidence appears to add up to a Dylan Thomas success if he is in the same sort of form he was in at the Curragh, and those fearing the ground should remember he did win the Derrinstown Trial on a yielding surface in May.
Dropping back in distance from the Irish Derby was no problem to either Assert (1982) or Caerleon (1983), and it shouldn't be an issue for Dylan Thomas either, who looks to have an ideal opportunity to score a welcome success for the classic crop against the older horses.
O'Brien has won the Ladbrokes Great Voltigeur twice with Milan (2001) and Powerscourt (2003), and he will run both Fire And Rain and Puerto Rico in today's renewal of the famous St Leger trial.
Kinane is on board Fire And Rain, who hasn't run this year but whose sole success as a two-year-old reads pretty well now.
Puerto Rico, in contrast, won the Gallinule in May, but has since beaten only three home in the Irish Derby and none at all in the Grand Prix de Paris.
The Coolmore Stud team, however, should be still be heavily involved courtesy of the King Edward VII winner Papal Bull, who can earn himself a trip back to the Knavesmire next month for the Leger.
