Aidan O'Brien's running plans for next week's Sagitta 1,000 and 2,000 Guineas will become clearer after his leading hopes have had a serious workout at Ballydoyle early this morning.

Michael Kinane is travelling to O'Brien's base to ride Sunspangled and Orpen in their work, but the trainer reports both horses to be on course for their respective targets in Newmarket's fillies' and colts' Classics.

Stablemate Stravinsky, another possible contender for the 2,000 Guineas, could line up in the Tetrarch Stakes at the Curragh on Sunday, but would miss the race if there is much further rain at the track, with the going already officially described as soft.

O'Brien is also already looking forward to later in the season, saying: "We have to start the process of sorting out our Derby horses as soon as we can."

Vodafone Derby possible Festival Hall will run at Sandown tomorrow in the Group Three Thresher Classic Trial with Kinane on board.

He will also ride O'Brien's Risk Material in the Group Three Marriott Hotels Stakes.

Saffron Waldon, a battling winner at Leopardstown last Sunday, is more likely to miss the Guineas in favour of a trip to York for the Dante Stakes next month.

Cupid, the winner of the listed Ballysax Stakes on the same card from Royal Rebel, is to be aimed at the Victor Chandler Chester Vase.

"I think he'll nip round the bends well," commented O'Brien.

To lessen the risk of having to ballot out any runners for the first two Classics of the season, the safety limit at Newmarket for the races is to be raised from 20 to 23.

With the new grandstand being built on the Rowley Mile course, racing at the track is this year taking place on the July Course.

For the whole of the Sagitta Guineas Festival, the mile course will be widened by moving the running rail out as far as possible, increasing the limit for all races over that distance.

Tony MCoy is delaying is final riding plans for the Punchestown festival until the weekend as it now seems likely that Martin Pipe will have no runners at the meeting. Punchestown seems to have been spared much of the recent heavy rain that has hit most of the country and the official going at present is soft.

The country's 750 betting shops are legally entitled to open for evening meetings from today due to changes introduced in the Finance Act. Shops will provide a service on Monday's, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, the days ion which there is evening races in Britain.