Dawn Approach will have to beat a maximum of 13 opponents if he is to graduate to Classic glory in Saturday's Qipco 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket and maintain Ireland's strong recent record in the first Classic of the season.
Irish-trained runners have landed the Guineas six times in the last decade, including with Camelot who secured Aidan O’Brien a sixth win in the race last year.
However, it is Jim Bolger’s Dawn Approach who dominates the betting this time on the back of an unbeaten two-year-old campaign.
Paddy Power makes the Irish star an 11/8 favourite after 14 were left in the colts Classic yesterday.
Half of those are Irish-trained, including Dawn Approach’s stable-companion, Leitir Mor, and a quartet from O’Brien’s powerful Ballydoyle team headed by Mars.
It was the O’Brien team who denied Bolger a Guineas win in 2008 when Henrythenavigator just edged out New Approach but it is the latter’s son who could now give owners Godolphin a notable morale boost after a tumultuous couple of weeks.
Niall Moran has also left in Don’t Bother Me, runner-up to Fort Knox in Leopardstown’s Guineas Trial earlier this month, in the colts Classic.
The Craven winner Torondao heads the home team after trainer Richard Hannon took out Olympic Glory. Moohajiim, runner-up to Olympic Glory in the Greenham, is also set to take his chance.
A total of 18 remain in Sunday’s 1,000 Guineas, including the O’Brien-trained Moth who has been supplemented into the race at a cost of over €35,000.
O’Brien completed the Guineas double last year when Homecoming Queen made all and he can also rely on the pair of Magical Dream and Snow Queen this time.
Dermot Weld has left both Big Break and Rasmeyaa in the fillies' Classic but it is Henry Cecil's Hot Snap, winner of the Nell Gwyn in the Juddmonte colours, who heads the betting at 11/4.
