There is no question about what the most significant two-year-old race of the weekend is, but whereas the Dewhurst Stakes has attracted the cream, today's Group 3 Juddmonte Beresford Stakes at the Curragh stands up as a decent contest in its own right.
Stravinsky's trainer Aidan O'Brien, who celebrated his 29th birthday yesterday, saddles almost half the field but this race could be destined for O'Brien's former mentor, Jim Bolger.
One of Bolger's greatest horses was the 1986 Irish Champion Stakes winner Park Express and her mating with Warning has resulted in Dazzling Park, a filly who appears to have above average ability.
Dazzling Park indicated that with an impressive debut success at the Curragh and although subsequently beaten by Rafayda in the Park Stakes, that looks a race to ignore.
Dazzling Park was unsuited by the slow early pace over the seven-furlong trip but after looking set to be swamped at the two-furlong pole, she showed admirable resolution to get back within a length of the winner. Today's mile on testing going should bring Dazzling Park's stamina into play, especially with a decent early pace.
The selection will have to be of above average ability to win this, particularly against some decent colts. Dermot Weld's Port Bayou absolutely trotted up on very testing going at Galway last month. Tarfaa won very easily at Punchestown on the soft, while Mark Johnston's raider Tissifer is on a hat-trick after wins at Epsom and Kempton and John Murtagh is a significant jockey booking.
Riding arrangements suggest the filly Pink Coral is possibly the best of the O'Brien quartet but despite a close fourth in France last time, preference is for Dazzling Park. The other Group race on the card is the Blandford Stakes and as Group 2 contests go, this looks a cheap one. Afarad, who won a Naas handicap last weekend off 94, holds a leading chance as does the English trained Largesse, beaten in a Curragh handicap last month but a Listed winner since at Ayr.
On the ratings, the obvious one to look at is Risk Material but good and tough as he is, Aidan O'Brien's strapping colt is hindered by very testing going and may be at his best over slightly shorter.
Preference is for Golden Rule, a 10-furlong winner here on soft ground through the summer. O'Brien is unlikely to have a blank day however. Burden Of Proof was moved from Charles O'Brien's yard to cut out the pace in races for the likes of Second Empire but he is a good horse in his own right and will take all the beating in the Waterford Testimonial Stakes.
The five-furlong maiden features a number of horses who have had chances a plenty to break their duck and with that in mind O'Brien's Nureyev colt Moiseyev looks the one to win.
At Down Royal, there could be a number of favourites for accumulator punters to get their teeth into.
Nomadic looks to have only Native-Darrig to worry about in the Soudavar Trial Hurdle, Beldarian should be a class apart from the rest in the Her Majesty's Plate and Dermot Weld's Layik should come home in the maiden hurdle. Others to consider up the north are the course winner Mighty Term in the bumper and Comrade Chinnery in the handicap hurdle.
There will be a 7.00 a.m. inspection at the Curragh.
