Aidan O'Brien will be triple-handed in Saturday's Stan James 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket with Michael Kinane teaming up with the champion trainer's Duke Of Marmalade in the first classic of 2007.
As expected, O'Brien yesterday ruled out the Group One winner Mount Nelson from his Newmarket raiding party but confirmed riding arrangements for his three remaining runners as he pursues a fifth 2,000 Guineas success. Johnny Murtagh, who rode Rock Of Gibraltar to success in 2002, will be on board Yellowstone this time while the French champion jockey Christophe Soumillon will team up with the Beresford Stakes winner Eagle Mountain.
Duke Of Marmalade, who was runner-up to Strategic Prince in last year's Champagne Stakes at Goodwood, hasn't run since due to a fractured pastern but he is the shortest of the O'Brien trio in ante-post betting at a general 20 to 1. Final declarations for the 2,000 Guineas will take place today and with the hot favourite Teofilo from Jim Bolger's yard, as well as Kevin Prendergast's Hattef, providing Ireland with a strong hand for a possible fifth Guineas success in the last six years.
Arch Swing is set to defend her unbeaten record in Sunday's 1,000 Guineas where the filly will attempt to break new ground for both Michael Kinane and John Oxx. The first fillies' classic of the season is the sole British classic that Kinane has yet to win in his riding career while Arch Swing will be a first Newmarket 1,000 Guineas runner for Oxx.
The Curragh trainer admitted yesterday that the temperature that affected Arch Swing after her narrow comeback success at Leopardstown last month is a concern ahead of the mile classic but also added that the horse's work has been well up to par in the last week. "Obviously the setback disrupted her momentum and she had to have a few easy days but we always hoped the problem was one of those things that would go quickly and it seems to have done that," Oxx said yesterday.
Arch Swing remains as low as 8 to 1 with one firm to pick up the Guineas in which Jim Bolger's Finsceal Beo is favourite and both Kevin Prendergast and Aidan O'Brien will also be represented by Miss Beatrix and Theann respectively.
It will be virgin ground for Oxx though who was denied running his champion miler Ridgewood Pearl in the Newmarket Guineas 12 years ago. "It is a race that comes quite early and it's often on fast ground which is why we didn't run Ridgewood Pearl. We didn't want to risk her first time out. She would have been our best Guineas candidate before now," Oxx explained.
"Fast ground won't be a problem for Arch Swing. She's bred for it and seems to need it. She has been in real good form for the last week and she only really had to miss a little bit of fast work. Since coming back, her work has been back up to her usual standard," he added.
Oxx will be on home ground on Monday where the Curragh hosts a Bank Holiday programme containing three Group Three contests including the Aussie Rules Tetrarch Stakes. The going at headquarters is currently good to firm and watering has commenced already although the recent warm spell is expected to break slightly over the weekend.
Oxx has both Angelonmyshoulder and the recent Gowran winner Eyshal in the Tetrarch and said yesterday: "The intention is to run Angelonmyshoulder but I'm not sure about Eyshal. I don't know if it would suit him to drop back a furlong from a mile."
South Dakota is another Aidan O'Brien-trained horse with a Newmarket entry this weekend but the champion trainer has opted instead to give this Danehill Dancer newcomer a run in the opener at Tipperary this evening and it should pay off.
