Parish Hall has ground to suit Parish Hall attempts the first leg of a remarkable Classic double in the Abu Dhabi Irish 2,000 Guineas at the Curragh tomorrow. Last year's shock Dewhurst Stakes winner bypassed the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket earlier this month due to the rain-softened ground, but trainer Jim Bolger is intent on making up for it over the next week. The son of Bolger's champion juvenile Teofilo has been well supported for the first Irish Classic of the season, and could then turn out in the Investec Derby at Epsom the following Saturday. "I'd have gone for the Newmarket Guineas. That was the plan initially, but the ground was not suitable. We have only one week between the races (Irish Guineas and Investec Derby), so we will have to see how he comes out of it," said the Coolcullen trainer. "But he is a fairly hardy horse and I am expecting him to be fine after his run at the Curragh. "I hope he wins at the Curragh. I think he is good enough to win a Classic and I would not mind if it was on Saturday. He will really come into his own when he gets 10 furlongs and a mile and a half. He is the first foal of the dam. "I shouldn't have huge expectations, but he is already a Group 1 winner. I hope he can build on Saturday's run. I am very keen to get him to Epsom - if I thought the horse was well, I'd give it a go." Parish Hall may have missed Newmarket, but four of the 11 participants did line up on the Rowley Mile and the horse who finished furthest forward was French raider Hermival, who got within two and a half lengths of Derby favourite Camelot. One place back in fourth was Craven Stakes winner Trumpet Major, and trainer Richard Hannon told his website: "We have always thought Trumpet Major was a good ground horse. "He got away with soft ground in the Craven Stakes, but Hughesie (Richard Hughes) felt similar conditions in the Guineas blunted his speed, so in the circumstances he ran a stormer to finish fourth, having looked the winner in the Dip. "He did a nice piece of work with Hughesie at Everleigh on Tuesday and, though it again looks very competitive, we have no Camelot to worry about. With the ground having dried up, he'll hopefully be right there again at the finish."
