Rest of Curragh preview: Just six opponents will try and deny Alexander Goldrun back to back victories in today's Audi Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh and worryingly for the bookmakers even the apparent main danger isn't being talked up with any great confidence.
Red Bloom ran second to the Jim Bolger-trained star 12 months ago but on the back of an under-whelming run at York on her last start, connections don't appear to be particularly enthusiastic about her chance.
"It's a tough contest, and a small field, but she ran well last year and we will try again," said Chris Richardson, manager of the powerful Cheveley Park Stud. "But we do hear that Alexander Goldrun has never been better."
For a multiple Group One winner like Alexander Goldrun that is a pretty intimidating statement and along with her stable companion Tropical Lady she got an upbeat report from Bolger yesterday.
"Alexander Goldrun has come out of her last race fine and Tropical Lady is very well in herself too," he said.
The likely favourite has come up against two of the best horses in the world in her last two starts when runner-up to Hurricane Run in the Tattersalls and fifth to the Japanese star Hearts Cry in Dubai.
There doesn't appear to be anything of that quality against Alexander Goldrun today and if there is a danger it could be the double classic placed three-year-old Queen Cleopatra.
The Irish Leger winner Collier Hill returns to the course and distance of his greatest success for the Attheraces Curragh Cup and faces the John Oxx-trained Mkuzi who has won the Group Three for the last two years.
However, it may be the other Oxx runner, Kastoria, that emerges as the biggest threat of all. A fourth to Percussionist in the Yorkshire Cup was not great but at her best the Aga Khan -owned mare, with Michael Kinane riding, looks up to winning a race like this.
The most significant jockey booking of the day, however, looks to be in the six furlong two- year-old maiden where Kieren Fallon deserts two Aidan O'Brien newcomers in favour of David Wachman's Ahoy.
This colt was narrowly beaten by another Ballydoyle colt at Tipperary over seven furlongs but looked to have his rival beaten cold a furlong out. The drop in trip can see him break his duck.
Fallon should also go close in the 10 furlong handicap on board Magicalmysterytour.
Tomorrow's main support to the Derby is the Group Two Railway Stakes where Holy Roman Emperor represents a Ballydoyle team that have won seven of the last eight renewals.
However, Holy Roman Emperor ran very green when well beaten in the Coventry at Ascot and the balance of the juvenile races there indicated the Irish may have ground to make up.
Drayton, unbeaten in three, looks the best of the home team but is unproven on the ground so the value could be Espartano who threw away his Windsor Castle chance with a slow start.
