Queen faces seven rivals on Sunday Homecoming Queen looks sure to go off a red-hot favourite for the Etihad Airways Irish 1,000 Guineas after stablemate Maybe was one of six defectors at the 48-hour declaration stage this morning. A runaway winner of the Newmarket equivalant earlier this month, Homecoming Queen faces just seven rivals at the Curragh on Sunday. Aidan O'Brien's filly set the early pace three weeks ago and could not be caught under Ryan Moore, who will be replaced in the saddle by Joseph O'Brien. Moore switches to Ballydoyle stablemate After, who was last seen finishing fourth in the French 1,000 Guineas. Ishvana, third in the Athasi Stakes on her most recent outing, also runs for O'Brien. The Kevin Prendergast-trained La Collina finished fifth behind Homecoming Queen at Newmarket and will reportedly be suited by the return to a sounder surface at the Curragh. Dermot Weld's Yellow Rosebud won the Leopardstown Guineas Trial and represents a stable in form, while Jessica Harrington runs Princess Sinead. Janey Muddles is Jim Bolger's representative rather than Cleofila. The one British challenger is the Mick Channon-trained Samitar who has been unplaced in two runs this year but won over £250,000 in a fine first season.
