By Daithi Harvey
There should be quite a few Classic pointers on offer at Leopardstown on Saturday with Guineas trials for both colts and fillies while the G3 PW McGrath Memorial Ballysax S. is often used as a route to an English or Irish Derby with 2016 Ballysax winner Harzand (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) achieving the rare double last year. Aidan O'Brien is responsible for six of the fifteen entrants in Saturday's ten furlong contest and they include Yucatan (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) who was second to Rivet (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) in the G1 Racing Post Trophy and Capri (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) who finished third to Waldgeist (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) in the G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud when last seen in October. Jim Bolger has entered Godolphin's colt Dubai Sand (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) who broke his maiden in the Listed Eyrefield S. at Leopardstown last October and he could take a high rank among Ireland's middle distance colts this year.
The Ballylinch Stud 1000 Guineas Trial S. also threw up a subsequent Classic winner last year in Jet Setting (Ire) (Fast Company {Ire}). Saturday's nominations include Intricately (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) and Hydrangea (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) who were separated by just a short head when first and second in the G1 Moyglare Stud S. at The Curragh last September, giving Joseph O'Brien his first Group 1 success as a trainer at the expense of his father Aidan. Also among 19 at the five-day stage is Promise To Be True (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) whose best effort last year was a three quarters of a length second to Wuheida (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac at Chantilly in October.
Fourteen colts are entered in the G3 Leopardstown 2000 Guineas Trial S. and they include a couple of horses flagged up in a recent TDN article on promising maiden winners in Ireland in 2016. Jim Bolger's Zorion (GB) (Smart Strike {CAN}) and the Ger Lyons trained Glastonbury Song (Ire) (Casamento {Ire}), both feature in the entries along with recent wide-margin Naas maiden winner Orderofthegarter (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) while Group 3 winner Peace Envoy (Fr) (Power {GB}) is the highest rated among them on 112.
Aidan O'Brien also has some household names entered for Naas on Sunday. The Galileo (Ire) trio of Minding (Ire), Idaho (Ire) and US Army Ranger (Ire) all feature in the G3 Dr. Vincent O'Brien Centenary Alleged S. over ten furlongs.
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