David Wachman is hoping that Followmyfootsteps can go one better than his former stable companion Indesatchal and win Sunday's French 2,000 Guineas at Longchamp.
Indesatchal only just failed to win the Poule D'Essai Des Poulains two years ago when nosed out of a classic success by the outstanding Shamardal and Wachman believes Followmyfootsteps is worth a shot at Group One level.
The Co Tipperary trainer has booked last year's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winning jockey Stephane Pasquier for the ride on the Michael Tabor-owned colt who won his maiden at Tipperary last month.
"He is an intended runner. He won his maiden last month and has shown me enough at home to suggest he is worth a place in the line-up," Wachman said yesterday. "He won over seven and a half furlongs and is by Giants Causeway so the trip shouldn't be a problem."
Followmyfootsteps joins a very strong Irish team being lined up for Sunday's French classics with Finsceal Beo confirmed a runner in the 1,000 Guineas, the Poule D'Essai Des Pouliches, by her trainer, Jim Bolger.
Last Sunday's brilliant Newmarket Guineas winner now has an unprecedented triple crown in her sights with the Irish Guineas at the end of the month also a target.
"She has come out of her run on Sunday very well. She is in very good form and we have decided to run at Longchamp before going to the Curragh two weeks later," Bolger said.
The Co Carlow-based trainer also intends to saddle Monday's Tetrarch winner Creachadoir in the 2,000 Guineas on Sunday where he will be part of a numerically strong Irish team that is also likely to include more than one runner from Aidan O'Brien's Ballydoyle stable. Significantly last month's easy Loughbrown Stakes winner Honoured Guest has been supplemented into the race bringing O'Brien's list of possible runners to five.
The ground at Longchamp is currently soft but there will be a very different surface at Leopardstown on Sunday as watering began on the Co Dublin track yesterday morning.
The going ahead of the Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial meeting remains firm after Leopardstown missed out on yesterday's showers although up to 10mms could fall on the track tomorrow afternoon. That is good news for the John Oxx team who intends to run the unbeaten Danak in the Group Three Amethyst Stakes and also have Xinji ready for the seasonal debut in the 1,000 Guineas Trial.
