Curragh Saturday and Sunday:For most of the week there have been prices of as low 1 to 3 on offer about either Yeats or Scorpion finally plugging Aidan O'Brien's Irish classic gap in today's Irish Field St Leger, but those banking on Scorpion alone look like they may be well ahead of those odds.
Both are multiple Group One winners, and both are winners of the Coronation Cup, so it is no surprise they dominate the final classic of 2007 ahead of seven opponents that appear to be some way short of the top-flight.
It's also hardly surprising that O'Brien, who attempts a unique Leger double with a four-strong team in this afternoon's English version at Doncaster, is coming into the home highlight with all guns blazing, since it is the only Irish classic he has yet to win.
The champion trainer completed the grand-slam in England two years ago when Virginia Waters landed the Newmarket 1,000 Guineas, but a similar feat remains stubbornly elusive.
For the last two years, Yeats has been the Ballydoyle standard-bearer in trying to rectify the statistic, but Europe's top stayer managed only fourth to Collier Hill in 2005 and was an expensive failure when runner-up to Kastoria last season.
Nevertheless, the ante-post betting suggests he is again the one to beat, though whether he should be trading at some of the odds he is must be open to doubt. In the circumstances, whatever value there is about the Leger looks to lie with his stablemate.
On official ratings Yeats is only a pound superior, and he was trained for the marathon Ascot Gold Cup for the first half of the year. In contrast, Scorpion crowned a return to form when winning at Epsom, and he ran a fine race at Royal Ascot when runner-up in the Hardwicke.
Crucially, however, Scorpion has exhibited an admirable versatility in terms of ground conditions that Yeats doesn't appear to have. Quick conditions this afternoon will be no problem to the younger horse.
Of the opposition, the ex-Andre Fabre-trained Bellamy Cay is, like the favourites, a possible for the Melbourne Cup, but his overall level of form in France doesn't look up to this standard, while The Whistling Teal has had his chances to win this before.
Maybe last weekend's Kempton winner, Steppe Dancer, will reward big-race each-way punters, but the real value could well end up in Scorpion.
The Sunday feature looks like a vintage renewal of Ireland's most valuable juvenile prize, with almost every strand of top-class European two-year-old form represented.
New Approach continues on the route followed by Teofilo last year and, like the €30,000 supplementary entry, Famous Name, Jim Bolger's horse will relish the forecast overnight rain.
Godolphin's supplementary hope Rio De La Plata is an intriguing runner, but the overnight rain could affect most Myboycharlie.
Tommy Stack's brilliant colt is rated a massive 122 after maintaining his unbeaten record in the Prix Morny.
The extra furlong is not a problem for Myboycharlie and it's hard to avoid the suspicion that if "AP O'Brien" were next to his name, he would be odds on tomorrow. It looks a good opportunity to take advantage.
