Aidan O'Brien is odds-on to win his second Epsom Derby in a row after weekend confirmation that Hawk Wing's next start will be in flat racing's blue riband.
The 2,000 Guineas runner-up is challenging his stable companion High Chaparral for favouritism after news that he will side step the Entenmann's Irish 2,000 Guineas in five days time.
Instead, Rock Of Gibraltar will head the Ballydoyle team at the Curragh, leaving O'Brien with one of the most powerful hands in Epsom Derby history.
Yesterday, Cashmans bookmakers cut the price on O'Brien winning the Derby to just 8 to 13.
On a singles basis, Paddy Power left Hawk Wing unchanged as a 9 to 4 shot for Epsom, just behind the 2 to 1 favourite High Chaparral.
Michael Kinane now begins the tortuous task of deciding which colt he will ride in the big race, but he said: "A lot can happen, so I will leave a decision about Epsom until as late as possible." Kinane's immediate focus will be on the Curragh this weekend when he is set to resume his partnership with Rock Of Gibraltar.
The leading jockey missed out on the Newmarket 2,000 Guineas due to a ban and is likely to choose the Alex Ferguson-owned colt from a powerful Ballydoyle team.
"We will also run Century City and one or two others," said O'Brien, who landed both Irish Guineas races last season with Black Minnaloushe and Imagine.
Black Minnaloushe's jockey on that occasion was John Murtagh, who is set to partner Ahsanabad in this season's 2,000 Guineas.
Michael Stoute's Craven Stakes winner King Of Happiness has not been ruled out of the Curragh classic by the owner's racing manager Joe Mercer.
Quarter Moon is expected to head the Ballydoyle challenge for Sunday's 1,000 Guineas, where the French Guineas heroine, Zenda, and the top two-year-old filly last season, Queen's Logic, are also scheduled to appear.
Tonight's planned meeting at Roscommon was called off on Saturday and there are doubts about it being run off on its re-scheduled date on Thursday.
"It will all depend on the rainfall we get on Monday, and the forecast is for heavy rain," said the Roscommon track manager Michael Finneran.
A Turf Club inspection of the track is expected tomorrow morning.
Kieren Fallon landed the Italian Oaks on the German filly Guadalupe in Milan yesterday.
His victory on the 6.08 to 1 chance came at the main expense of Barry Hills's Bright And Clear. Dermot Weld's pacesetting Nashwan Rose finished 12th.
At Longchamp, Frankie Dettori returned from a four-day ban to take the Prix d'Ispahan on Best Of The Bests and the Prix Vicomtesse Vigier on Wareed.
