Dozen set for Curragh classic

A field of 12 was declared today for the Entenmann`s Irish 2000 Guineas at the Curragh on Saturday.

As expected, Aidan O`Brien withdrew Beckett from the #225,000 prize and last year`s National Stakes winner was the only defector from 13 confirmations for the colts` Classic.

The champion trainer is still responsible for a third of the runners with his quartet headed by Minardi.

The Sagitta 2000 Guineas fourth is the mount of Mick Kinane, who has won the Curragh equivalent twice, on Dara Monarch (in 1982) and Flash of Steel (1986).

O`Brien is also a dual winner with Desert King (1997) and Saffron Walden (1999) and the O`Brien-Kinane partnership will be keen to share in their first Irish 2000 success with Minardi.

Tamburlaine, who finished a head a neck and three lengths ahead of Minardi when runner-up to Golan at Newmarket, will bid to give Marlborough trainer Richard Hannon his third win in the race after Don`t Forget Me (1987) and Tirol (1990).

The other two British-trained runners are the Barry Hills-trained Amicable, who is taking a big step up in class after winning a Chester handicap, and Mugharreb from the Ben Hanbury stable.

Willie Mullins has declared the unraced Arch Stanton, while Luke Comer is set to run Cashel Bay who finished last of six in a Listed race over a mile and three quarters at Leopardstown last night.

Niall McCullagh will ride the newcomer Arch Stanton.

'We kept him in all the entry stages and we just thought we`d let him a run. There`s never too many runners in the race,' said Mullins.

'He`s all right, but was a bit backward last year.

'We were hoping he might be good enough to run in the race, and we`ll find out on Saturday.

Declarations: Amicable, Arch Stanton, Black Minnaloushe, Cashel Bay, Cruiskeen Lawn, Dr Brendler, Freud, Maumee, Minardi, Mozart, Mugharreb, Tamburlaine (12).