1,000GUINEASPREVIEW

Ten go to post in the Tattersalls Irish 1,000 Guineas in what looks to be a cracking renewal. Dermot Weld won the contest last year with the impressive wide-margin victor, Homeless Songs, and his Tahiyra is a strong favourite here to give the trainer back-to-back successes in the race. She emerged on the scene at the top-level after a taking victory in the Moyglare Stud Stakes last term, and returned with a close second in the English version of the 1,000 Guineas. She was off for 238 days on that occasion and perhaps just lost out to a fitter rival, so should come on for that run here and she sets the standard. Weld also sends Tarawa for the same owners, who finished a good second in the Group 3 Cornelscourt Stakes on seasonal reappearance, although she does appear to be stable number two on this occasion.

Meditate has been behind the favourite on two occasions so far in her career, both on soft ground. She did however win the Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot and the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies’ Turf on quick ground and will be seen to better effect on a faster surface here. Aidan O’Brien has won the race ten times, and the daughter of No Nay Never could be a big danger to the market leader. O’Brien has two others in the field, Jackie Oh and Dower House. Jackie Oh is the most unexposed of the pair, landing a maiden on debut in March from a next time out winner before a second in Listed company stepped up to 10f. Dower House has just one win from seven starts, but has kept top company with all of her last four starts at Group or Listed level, although this requires a step up.

Jessica Harrington landed the spoils here in 2018 with Alpha Centauri and sends maiden Eternal Silence in search of success again. All of her three starts have come here at the Curragh, including a third in the Moyglare Stud, and she will appreciate the quick ground and step back up to a mile. Aspen Grove got the better of that filly here in Group 3 company last term and made an encouraging return when third on reappearance. However, James Stack’s other runner, You Send Me, has an eye-catching jockey booking in the form of Colin Keane. The maiden winner showed promise when second in the Amethyst Stakes last time and could improve again here.

The sole English raider in the field is Breege for John Quinn, who placed twice in Group 3 company as a two-year-old and makes her seasonal debut here in a bid to take the prize back to Yorkshire with her. Jim Bolger has trained the winner of this contest twice, last back in 2015, and he saddles Comhra. She finished just over a length of Meditate as a two-year-old and tackles Group 1 company for the first time here after a pair of mid-division finishes in Group 3 company this term.