THE first domestic classics of the season are just a week away.

There’s a significant change this year as the Tattersalls Guineas Festival is now a three-day meeting, starting on Friday evening, when the Novibet Emerald Mile is the feature race, followed by live music from Abbaesque.

The Saturday card is one to savour, featuring the Gain Marble Hill Stakes and the Weatherbys Greenlands Stakes ahead of the crowning jewel, the Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas.

At time of writing, it looks like the colts’ classic could see a clash between Aidan O’Brien and his sons Joseph and Donnacha. Tetrarch Stakes winner Paddington is expected to be part of the Ballydoyle team, while Donnacha O’Brien is planning to run his Group 1 winner Proud And Regal, having finished third in the Leopardstown Derby Trial on his first start of the year.

They will all have their work cut out to cope with the Joseph O’Brien-trained Al Riffa. A Group 1 winner last season, the son of Wootton Bassett is said to have wintered well and the Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas has long been his aim.

Al Riffa would also be a popular winner of the classic with the sponsors as he was a Book 1 yearling purchase for 150,000gns.

Tattersalls has been sponsoring the Irish 2000 Guineas since 2013 and the Irish 1000 Guineas since 2015. However, the sales company’s support for the fixture dates back to 1985, the first year it sponsored the Tattersalls Rogers Gold Cup.

The 10-furlong race was a Group 2 race in those days but it was promoted to Group 1 status in 1999, helped no doubt by the subsequent exploits of previous winners such as Opera House (1995) and Daylami (1998).

Opera House was a Tattersalls graduate, as was the 2000 winner Montjeu along with Fantastic Light (2001).

The race continues to attract some of the very best middle-distance horses in Europe. Hurricane Run (2006), Duke Of Marmalade (2008), Fame And Glory (2010), So You Think (2011) and Magical (2019-20) stand out as among the most memorable winners in recent times.

Asked why Tattersalls continue to back this race and the two Guineas, the sales company’s marketing director Jimmy George said: “The Tatersalls Irish Guineas Festival is very much the pinnacle of Tattersalls’ sponsorship portfolio, not just in Ireland but on the global stage.

“The Irish market is absolutely vital to everything we do, and this sponsorship is a small reflection of the importance we place on supporting Irish racing and breeding in every way we possibly can.”

Curragh CEO Brian Kavanagh commented: “Tattersalls have always been very good partners of the Curragh and they are a pleasure to deal with. It’s a strong relationship. Whenever we approach Tattersalls about increasing the value of the Guineas or the Gold Cup, they have always worked with us.”

The Tattersalls Gold Cup is worth €450,000 this year, keeping it competitive with other races of its stature on the European circuit. Among the possible runners next Sunday are Bay Bridge, Adayar, Luxembourg, Onesto, Skaletti and Above The Curve.

“I know [Tattersalls chairman] Edmond Mahony takes particular pride in the Tattersalls Gold Cup,” Kavanagh added.

“Edmond has also been very complimentary about the Curragh redevelopment and we are very appreciative that Tattersalls has sponsored the owners’ lounge here since 2019.”

Jimmy George concurred: “It’s fantastic for us to be sponsoring such important races at a magnificent new facility. It’s wonderful for us to be able to attach our name to the owners’ lounge which provides such a great welcome for racehorse owners, many of whom are our clients.”