Aidan O'Brien has fired his first 2,000 Guineas salvos with Giant's Causeway and Monashee Mountain, but this weekend will see the first of the Ballydoyle Derby contenders reappear with the unbeaten Bach leading the way.
Winner of the Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot last June, the Caerleon colt hasn't been seen since, but he is one of five horses that O'Brien admits could emerge as Derby hopes.
Bach will run in Sunday's Listed 2,000 Guineas Trial at Leopardstown, before a tilt at the Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial. And another of the vaunted quintet, Shakespeare, is set to take his chance in the Ballysax Stakes on the same day.
'The plan originally was for Bach to run first in the Derrinstown Trial, but now we will try and get a run into him, and Shakespeare, who's a lovely horse, will probably go in the Ballysax,' O'Brien confirmed yesterday.
The trainer faces a busy weekend, although heavy rain around Newbury may compromise Rossini's chance of taking in Saturday's Greenham Stakes.
The conditions have already caused Barry Hills to announce that his Dewhurst winner Distant Music will not run in the race, and ground softer than good to soft could threaten Rossini's presence too.
'Rossini is the most likely of ours to run and, if he travels, we could also send Bashkir for a 10furlong race as well as the filly Elegant As Always in a maiden,' O'Brien added.
The following weekend O'Brien will again be on the road as the unbeaten Racing Post Trophy winner Aristotle will be sent to France on Sunday week for the Group Two Prix Greffulhe, a trial that has been won by superstars such as Suave Dancer and Montjeu in the past.
'He's working nicely and is ready for a run,' said O'Brien, who nominates Amethyst as his runner in this Sunday's Leopardstown 1,000 Guineas Trial. He will be hoping the sister to King Of Kings does well, as the highly-regarded Inkling is now a slight doubt for the Newmarket Guineas.
