Newmarket form appears to be the key to this weekend`s Entenmann`s Irish 1000 and 2000 Guineas at the Curragh.
Local bookmakers Cashmans have installed Sagitta 2000 Guineas runner-up Giant`s Causeway as their 7-4 favourite for Saturday`s race with Sagitta 1000 Guineas winner Lahan the 3-1 market leader for the fillies` contest the following afternoon.
Godolphin`s French 2000 Guineas winner Bachir was one of three colts supplemented today at a cost of IR#25,000 for the Irish equivalent.
Also added to the Classic field were Bachir`s stable-companion Glad Master, who finished 10th of 16 behind China Visit in the UAE Derby at Nad Al Sheba in March on his only run so far this year, and the George Margarson-trained Barathea Guest, one and a half lengths behind Giant`s Causeway in third at Newmarket.
The prospect of some ease in the ground at the Curragh has swayed Barathea Guest`s owner John Guest in favour of the Irish race.
Guest`s racing manager Tim Corby said: 'The official going is yielding. We hope current ground conditions will remain.
'He deserves his chance but it will be a very competitive contest.
'Philip Robinson will ride.'
Jason Morris, racecourse manager at the Curragh, had some good news for the connections of Barathea Guest.
He said: 'We`ve had a quarter of an inch of rain overnight. It is still overcast with the prospect of some more showers.
'The going is yielding on the round course and yielding to soft on the straight course.
'The forecast is for unsettled weather for the rest of the week.'
There were a total of 10 horses left in the Irish 2000 Guineas after today`s forfeit stage.
As well as Giant`s Causeway, Aidan O`Brien has Bach in the race which features the additional British entries Cape Town and Scarteen Fox.
Earlier on the programme Britain is represented by Henry Candy`s Gorse, the Kevin Ryan-trained Manorbier, and Ma Yoram, trained by Mick Channon, in the Weatherbys Ireland Greenlands Stakes, a Group Three contest run over six furlongs.
The Dubai team has also supplemented recent Newmarket maiden winner Meiosis for Sunday`s Irish 1000 Guineas and Rothmans Royals St Leger victor Mutafaweq for the Tattersalls Gold Cup on the same card.
Clive Brittain`s German 1000 Guineas winner Crimplene has also been added to the fillies` race.
'She`s done very well since Germany and we thought she was well up to taking the others on,' said Brittain.
'Rain wouldn`t be too much of a problem. When she finished third in the Fred Darling it was soft. She seems to go on any ground.
'Her form when she was third in the Italian Guineas looks pretty solid with the second (Timi) winning their Oaks on Sunday.
'We are looking forward to the race.'
Lahan is set to be re-opposed on Sunday by Gerard Butler`s Princess Ellen and Channon`s Seazun, who were second and fourth respectively at Newmarket.
Channon is on the look out for a jockey for Seazun.
He said: 'I`ll wait and see what`s going to run before making a decision.
'She`s in great form but we probably could have done without the rain.'
The other entries from this side of the Irish Sea in the 1000 Guineas are John Dunlop`s Eurolink Raindance and the Barry Hills-trained Out Of Reach.
There are 16 fillies left in the Irish 1000 Guineas.
One of Mutafaweq`s rivals in his Group One contest will be Montjeu, who will be the first Prix de l`Arc de Triomphe winner to run at the Curragh since Alleged in 1978.
Sir Michael Stoute has entered Little Rock and Greek Dance with Dunlop`s Golden Snake also still in the extended 10-furlong contest.
Cashmans bet:
Irish 2000 Guineas: 7-4 Giant`s Causeway, 5-2 Barathea Guest, 3-1 Bachir, 9-1 Cape Town, 10-1 Bach, 20-1 Glad Master, Scarteen Fox, 33-1 Shibl, 100-1 Gregorian, doubtful Legal Jousting.
Irish 1000 Guineas: 3-1 Lahan, 4-1 Princess Helen, 5-1 Meiosis, 11-2 Preseli, 8-1 Amethyst, 10-1 Seazun, 14-1 Chiang Mai, Crimplene, Theoretically, 20-1 bar.
