Tomorrow's Derrinstown Derby Trial has a proud record of throwing up top class racehorses and if the Leopardstown feature is going to do something similar in 2006 it looks like it may well be Heliostatic.
Certainly if the ante-post market for the Epsom Derby is to be believed, then the Jim Bolger-trained colt is already past the post this weekend. Heliostatic is easily the shortest of these in the Derby betting, with some firms as low as 20 to 1, and yet again the layers look to have it about right.
An impressive performance by Heliostatic in tomorrow's Group Two trial could result in a major change in the betting for what is currently an unstable Derby market. After all when it comes to the Derby, the Derrinstown has some major form of its own.
From Sinndar in 2000 to Yeats in 2004, the race threw up a streak of major Classic and Group One winners that also included a pair of Aidan O'Brien-trained Epsom heroes, Galileo and High Chaparral. Go back to 1982 and the name of Golden Fleece also figures as does the Bolger-trained St Jovite who won it in 1992.
Although there might have been some initial disappointment for Bolger when Heliostatic got beaten here in last month's Guineas Trial, that race was probably run over a trip well short of his best and he was running on noticeably well at the finish.
A form boost could well come from the French Guineas courtesy of Yasoodd but more important should be the step up to a mile and a quarter.
Bolger should also know exactly where he stands with the likes of Golden Arrow, Altius and Mountain from Ballysax form behind Rhythm N'Roots. Dylan Thomas is having his first start of the season but with that Guineas Trial run under his belt, Heliostatic can earn his ticket to Epsom.
Bolger will also be a major player in the Group Three 1,000 Guineas Trial where the Cheveley Park fourth Modeeroch has a first start of the season.
Another interesting 2006 debutant is Lifetime Romance, a granddaughter of the former Breeders' Cup heroine Ridgewood Pearl, but John Oxx has already stated he expects her to emerge significantly better for the run.
In contrast the Ballydoyle hope Queen Cleopatra, a daughter of the 2000 Moyglare winner Sequoyah, ran a nice race when fourth to Daltaya in France last month and significantly comes here instead of travelling back to Longchamp for tomorrow's Guineas.
Benjamin Franklin should make a winning debut in the ten furlong maiden.
