Guineas Preview:Last season's epic Dewhurst Stakes has been seen all spring as being the definitive guide to the Stan James 2,000 Guineas and although both Teofilo and Holy Roman Emperor aren't around that can still prove the case with Haatef providing a fifth Irish victory in the last six years.
The Kevin Prendergast-trained colt will be joined by a trio from Aidan O'Brien's Ballydoyle yard in the first classic of the season and although it will be just Haatef's third career start at least he will be on familiar ground. He ran a fine race in that momentous Dewhurst over seven furlongs last October when only a neck separated him from Strategic Prince and third place behind the old rivals Teofilo and Holy Roman Emperor.
With the latter at stud already and the long-time Guineas favourite Teofilo on the sidelines, the temptation could be to look elsewhere but that Dewhurst looked one of the best renewals in recent years and keeping the faith on that score could pay off in style.
The new favourite, Adagio, was seventh that day and although impressive in the Craven last month, he still has ground to make up. Fast ground is an issue for the Greenham winner Major Cadeaux who had Dutch Art well behind him at Newbury.
Duke Of Marmalade is a likeable type whose run in the Champagne last year looked good and which looks even better now considering only Strategic Prince got the better of him in a race that he ended up fracturing a pastern.
Michael Kinane's mount looks the best of the Ballydoyle trio although Yellowstone could surprise a few people as he looked like his seasonal debut at Leopardstown would bring him on a lot.
A dark horse in many respects is the French raider US Ranger who successfully graduated from the provinces to take the traditional Paris trial, the Prix Djebel, in good style.
But even though it was over six months ago, the Dewhurst does still look the best trial guide of all for the start of the classic year.
A strict reading of that makes Strategic Prince the winner today but Haatef was running on unsuitably tacky ground on just his second start and also got a bump from Holy Roman Emperor at a vital stage that probably prevented him taking third.
The Prendergast runner is no certainty to get a mile but on fast ground it's worth taking a chance on that score. There is no doubt, however, about the positive recent reports of his work from the Curragh and although it is 30 years since Nebbiolo won the Guineas, his veteran trainer has hardly forgotten the key to landing a Guineas.
Certainly there will be no 20 to 1 floating around about this Prendergast runner who was quietly fancied to run a big race even before Teofilo's defection.
Miss Beatrix will represent Prendergast and Declan McDonogh in tomorrow's 1,000 Guineas, along with the favourite Finsceal Beo from Jim Bolger's yard, Arch Swing from John Oxx's and Theann who represents Ballydoyle.
Following Teofilo's injury, Finsceal Beo will be a sentimental as well as market favourite to win for Bolger, jockey Kevin Manning and Waterford owner Michael Ryan whose €340,000 investment in Finsceal Beo can pay off in classic style.
Theann will be ridden by the French champion jockey Christophe Soumillon and although she is no certainty to last out the mile, there was a lot to like about her run behind Arch Swing at Leopardstown last month. There will be worse each-way runners this weekend.
Soumillon, already a Group One winner for Aidan O'Brien this year after Dylan Thomas's Prix Ganay success last weekend, will be on Eagle Mountain in today's 2,000 but he will also have a big shout in the Listed Newmarket Stakes this afternoon on board Acapulco.
The Galileo colt confirmed a high home reputation when bolting up on his debut at Navan and he has reportedly done well since then. Eastern Anthem is apparently Godolphin's main Derby hope but he will have to be a real classic player to beat the Ballydoyle runner.
