Rashabar will head into the Tattersalls Irish 2,000 Guineas “underestimated”, according to his connections – but he will have some history on his side.
The Brian Meehan-trained Coventry Stakes winner sports the famous Sangster family colours which have been carried to victory in the Irish Classic five times already.
Jaazeiro (1978), Sadler’s Wells (1984) and Prince Of Birds (1988) were all trained by Vincent O’Brien, before Peter Chapple-Hyam won twice in three years with Rodrigo De Triano and Turtle Island in 1992 and 1994 respectively.
“He’s in tremendous form. He did a lovely bit of work this week,” said Sam Sangster of the Manton Thoroughbreds-owned colt, who has been second in the Prix Morny, Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere and Greenham Stakes since Ascot.
“We had to miss the French Guineas due to a spiked temperature a week before, but he’s been absolutely fine since then.
“He’s got a lovely draw in stall one and obviously he’s paired up with the man that won the race last year (Sean Levey), so we’re coming into the race full of confidence, to be honest.
“If you were taking the form out of the Lagardere, you’d have every right to be coming with every confidence.
“I think he’s probably the horse that’s a little bit underestimated, he definitely needed the run in the Greenham, he’s had plenty of time between runs, Brian and the whole team are extremely happy with him, so it’s all systems go really.”
The Juddmonte silks of the late Khalid Abdullah bid for a third win in the race, after Kingman in 2014 and Siskin in 2020.
They are well represented this year with John and Thady Gosden’s Newmarket runner-up Field Of Gold, Andrew Balding’s Windlord and the only unbeaten runner in the race, Harry Charlton’s Cosmic Year.
Oisin Murphy rode Cosmic Year in his first two outings before Ryan Moore took the mount last time out, but Murphy is back on again this weekend.
“I’m really looking forward to Cosmic Year. It’s obviously a Group One and he’s stepping up in class, but he’s been very good in his three runs so far,” he said.
“It looks a very good renewal of the race with Aidan O’Brien’s two Officer and Expanded, Field Of Gold and a Group One winner in Hotazhell, and who knows with some of the other horses who are lightly raced.
“Harry seems very happy with him though, hopefully he can travel over there well and let’s see how we get on.”
Colin Keane – who steered Siskin to glory – replaces Kieran Shoemark on John and Thady Gosden’s Field Of Gold and speaking earlier this week said: “I’m delighted to be asked to ride him, he looks a very good ride going into the race, I’m very much looking forward to it.
“The Juddmonte colours are those that growing up watching racing, you know who they are. I’ve been very fortunate to win two Classics wearing them and a couple more Group Ones and I’m just delighted to be asked to ride the colt at the weekend.”
Jessica Harrington’s Hotazhell beat Aidan O’Brien’s Delacroix in the Futurity Trophy.
He was scheduled to run in the French Guineas but was pulled out an hour before the race as the ground was deemed too quick.
“Hotazhell has been good since he returned from France,” said Kate Harrington, assistant to her mother.
“It was obviously a hard call (to miss the French race), but I think our decision was justified with the track record broken on the day.
“We have just freshened him up since he came back and I walked the track at the Curragh on Tuesday and it was beautiful ground with a great job done on watering it. We are really looking forward to him running a big race and he has a lovely draw as well in stall number four.”
Aidan O’Brien runs Officer and Expanded, while his eldest son Joseph is represented by Scorthy Champ. Joseph’s brother Donnacha is also involved through Comanche Brave.
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