The 2,000 Guineas and Derby favourite Teofilo will have his first start of the season in the Newmarket classic but his absence from Saturday's Guineas Trial at Leopardstown could leave the way open for a "dark horse" such as Consul General to make an early-season impact.

Dermot Weld's colt, an impressive seven-length winner on his Cork debut last September, features among the entries for the one-mile Group Three event that the trainer won in 2003 with the subsequent Guineas winner Refuse To Bend.

Also among the possible runners are a quintet from Aidan O'Brien's Ballydoyle yard, including the Royal Lodge winner Admiralofthefleet and Eagle Mountain, who landed the Beresford Stakes last year. Finicus from Eoin Griffin's yard is also a weekend contender, as is Creachadoir who, in Teofilo's absence, could represent Jim Bolger.

However, Consul General, described as "the makings of a very good horse" by his jockey, Pat Smullen, after his debut, may also take his chance. The Juddmonte-owned horse ran once more as a two-year-old when only seventh to Passage Of Time in the Group One Criterium de Saint-Cloud over 10 furlongs last November after starting second favourite.

"I'll make my mind up about running him or not later in the week. He has made progress but it is hard to say yet where he will fit in eventually," Weld said yesterday.

John Oxx has the Curragh maiden winner Alarazi in the 2,000 Trial but he is also likely to run the unbeaten Arch Swing, as low as 14 to 1 in some ante-post lists for the 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket, in the Dimitrova Trial over seven furlongs. Oxx has also entered the Oaks outsider Four Sins, while Once Upon A Grace and Regalline, first and second in a Curragh maiden on Day One of the season, are also entered.

The ground at Leopardstown is predicted to be yielding, with course manager Tom Burke reporting yesterday: "It's yielding at the moment and with no great drying about I think it might only improve slightly, if at all."

Today's action is at Gowran Park where Ruby Walsh is a significant booking for Akshar in the Beginners Chase.

Formerly trained by Michael Stoute and Dermot Weld, Akshar looked a threat at Thurles last week until coming down at the second last in the race won by Native Churchtown. Before that he had put in a clear round at Fairyhouse in January and Walsh can steer him to a first chase victory now.