Orpen was confirmed yesterday as the Ballydoyle runner in next Saturday's 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket. Trainer Aidan O'Brien also confirmed that Sunspangled will take her chance in the 1,000 Guineas the following day.
Both horses worked yesterday morning under their big-race jockey Michael Kinane and pleased O'Brien that they are forward enough to race at Newmarket on their seasonal debuts.
"They seem very well and they are our intended Guineas runners," O'Brien said.
The alternatives to Orpen had been Stravinsky, Saffron Waldon and Lavery but although they will be left in the 2,000 Guineas for the moment, there will have to be major gound changes for plans to be reversed.
"We are in no panic with Stravinsky. There is the French Guineas on the 16th but we want to do the right thing by the horse. Everything depends on the ground for Lavery," O'Bren added.
Another horse who could feature in the French 2,000 Guineas is Dermot Weld's National Stakes winner Mus-If, runner-up to Saffron Waldon at Leopardstown six days ago.
Weld's fellow Curragh trainer John Oxx yesterday didn't rule the Anglesey Stakes winner Namid out of the Newmarket 2,000 Guineas.
The colt is due to have his first race since July in the Tetrarch at the Curragh tomorrow and Oxx said: "He might need the run."
