Aidan O’Brien will bid to win the Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas for a remarkable 12th time this Saturday but the world record breaking trainer faces stiff opposition in both Irish Guineas’ this weekend following the latest entry stage today.

O’Brien trains five of the 14 colts remaining in the Tattersalls Irish 2,000 Guineas with Gustav Klimt the main Ballydoyle hope in the race which also includes the British-trained pair of Elarqam and Symbolization.

A strong field for the opening Irish classic of the season also includes the Dermot Weld-trained Imaging and Fozzy Stack’s unbeaten colt Zihba who impressed at Leopardstown last time out.

1000 GUINEAS

Sunday’s Tattersalls Irish 1,000 Guineas received a similarly strong field with 20 fillies going forward at this stage including the supplemented Who’s Steph for trainer Ger Lyons.

British representation comes from Karl Burke’s English 1,000 Guineas runner-up Laurens standing her ground as well as the Mark Johnston-trained York winner Threading and the Godolphin-owned Soliloquy, for trainer Charlie Appleby.

Aidan O’Brien trains nine of the remaining 20 as he looks to become the most successful ever trainer in the Irish 1,000 Guineas with an eighth success and Happily, Clemmie and Magical are among his potential team for the race.

Curragh-based trainer Johnny Murtagh will be hoping for the best possible start with Lightening Quick who recently joined him from Ger Lyons following her victory at Naas earlier this month.

Karl Burke said the Curragh is being strongly considered for Laurens after her game effort earlier this month in the English 1,000 Guineas.

“She is in such good form that we couldn’t not leave Laurens in the Irish 1,000 Guineas and we’ll see what the ground is like closer to the weekend. She has come out of the English 1,000 Guineas in great form and PJ (McDonald) sat on her last week and this morning and he couldn’t be happier with her and we are all delighted with her.”

Charlie Appleby commented on his runners: “Symbolization is a colt who has progressed through the season to date. He got beaten on first start at Newmarket but he has subsequently came on and won a nice handicap under top weight and the form of his first run at Newmarket got a boost at the weekend too. He’s come out of his last run very well and we’ve left him in to take another look at the race and it is under strong consideration for him to run.”

“Soliloquy won the Nell Gywn and while there was a touch of disappointment with her run in the Guineas at Newmarket we did slightly change her run style and in hindsight we could have let our filly bowl along a bit. She has come out of Newmarket very well and it was always our thought after the English Guineas to take a strong view at the Irish Guineas and we can’t fault her preparation going into it. If she reproduces that Nell Gywn form I feel that she can be very competitive.”

Appleby added; “I feel we have got two horses there that have a profile that will see them be very competitive this weekend.”

TATTERSALLS GOLD CUP

The Roger Varian-trained Defoe and Martyn Meade’s Eminent will potentially aim to make it a fifth British-trained winner in six years in Sunday’s Group 1 Tattersalls Gold Cup.

Defoe - pictured right

Aidan O’Brien hasn’t won the race since 2012 but is represented by Cliffs Of Moher, Hydrangea, Lancaster Bomber, Clear Skies and Yucatan, while Ken Condon’s stable star Success Days will hope to make it third time lucky in the race having been placed third and fourth in the last two renewals.

BETTING

Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas

Paddy Power: 9-4 Elarqam, 3 Gustav Klimt, 7-2 US Navy Flag, 13-2 Imaging, 7 Zihba, 14 Symbolization, Would Be King, 20 Threeandfourpence, 33 Romanised, Spanish Point, 50 Landshark, 66 Theobald, 100 Conclusion, Quizical

Tattersalls Irish 1,000 Guineas

Paddy Power: 11-8 Happily, 5 Soliloquy, 6 Clemmie, 8 Laurens, Who’s Steph, 10 Chiara Luna, Lightening Quick, 12 Could it be Love, 14 Threading, 16 Magical, 25 I Can Fly, 33 Alghabrah, Alpha Centauri, Yulong Gold Fairy, 50 Actress, 66 Athena, Hence, Most Gifted, Scriobh Nua, 100 Uluru Park

Tattersalls Gold Cup

Paddy Power: Evens Cliffs Of Moher, 13-8 Defoe, 8 Eminent, Hydrangea, Yucatan, 16 Success Days, Turret Rocks, 25 Clear Skies, Lancaster Bomber, 66 Reckless Gold

Racing on Saturday and Sunday at the Curragh will begin at 1.50pm both days.

Going Report Issued 8.00am 22nd May:

The ground remains Good, Good to Yielding (Straight) and Good (Round) following 2mm of rain. Dry forecast for the rest of the week

Adult admission tickets cost €20. There are concessions for students and seniors, while under 18’s receive complimentary admission when accompanied by an adult. Book in advance at www.curragh.ie