Aidan O’Brien rates Tenebrism and Tuesday as his most likely runners as he bids to keep his stranglehold on the Qipco 1000 Guineas.
The Ballydoyle maestro has won five of the last six renewals and seven in total since Virginia Waters scored in 2005.
With John and Thady Gosden ruling out winter ante-post favourite Inspiral earlier this week, unbeaten Tenebrism heads the market and is priced at a general 11-4 for O’Brien in Sunday’s Classic.
The daughter of Caravaggio followed up her five-furlong Naas maiden win last March and despite a six-month break, struck in the Group One Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket in September.
Though that Group One contest was over six furlongs, O’Brien is hopeful she will stay the extra quarter of a mile.
The handler is also set to run Tuesday, comfortable winner of a mile Naas maiden on her seasonal debut. She is a general 6-1 shot with bookmakers.
Cork seven-furlong maiden winner Toy could also represent O’Brien, although connections may opt for a tilt at the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches on May 15 instead.
O’Brien said: “We have three fillies left in the 1000 Guineas. Tenebrism and Tuesday look more likely to run at the moment and Toy could go to the French Guineas.
“Her run wasn’t that long ago and we could give her a bit more time. In the middle of the week we will have a fair idea.
“Tenebrism has done everything we have asked and everything has gone well so far.
“The horses have been running well so far this season, so we are hopeful.”
Though Native Trail is odds-on with most firms to win Saturday’s Qipco 2000 Guineas, O’Brien will bid to extend his record to 11 victories in the race, saddling both Luxembourg and Point Lonsdale.
Luxembourg, currently a general 9-2 third favourite for the colts’ mile Classic, was unbeaten in all three starts as a juvenile, signing off with a length-and-three-quarter success in the Group One Vertem Futurity Trophy over the same distance at Doncaster.
Point Lonsdale ran five times last season, exclusively over seven furlongs, only having his colours lowered once – by Native Trail – in the Group One Vincent O’Brien National Stakes at the Curragh on his last start in September. He is a general 12-1 shot for glory.
Native Trail is as short as Evens for the 2000 Guineas after his Craven Stakes victory
Both pleased the trainer following a racecourse gallop last month.
O’Brien said: “It’s so far so good with Luxembourg and Point Lonsdale. They both went well when we brought them to the Curragh after racing and have done well since.”
