Elarqam (left)© Photo Healy Racing
Gustav Klimt heads Aidan O’Brien’s four runners as the Ballydoyle handler seeks to add to his impressive record of 11 victories in the Tattersalls Irish 2,000 Guineas at the Curragh on Saturday.
As well as Gustav Klimt, who was sixth in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket, O’Brien has French 2000 fifth US Navy Flag as well as outsiders Spanish Point and Threeandfourpence after a field of 11 was declared.
For once, an O’Brien runner is not heading the ante-post betting. That honour goes to the Mark Johnston-trained Elarqam, who was a length and a half ahead of Gustav Klimt when fourth behind O’Brien’s Saxon Warrior at Newmarket.
Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum’s colt promised more as that was only his third career start and his first outing since last September.
There is a second UK raider in Godolphin’s Symbolization. The Charlie Appleby-trained son of Cape Cross is taking the big step up to Group One company after winning a Newmarket handicap last time.
The unbeaten Group Three winner Zihba will try to give Fozzy Stack a first Classic triumph, while the other contenders are Landshark, Romanised, Theobald and Would Be King.
