Chicquita© Photo Healy Racing
Last summer's Irish Oaks heroine Chicquita finally makes her belated debut for Aidan O'Brien in the Moyglare "Jewels" Blandford Stakes at the Curragh today.
Despite showing wayward tendencies during her three-year-old campaign with leading French trainer Alain de Royer-Dupre, the daughter of Montjeu found only the brilliant Treve too strong in the 2013 French Oaks and went one better under Johnny Murtagh in the Irish equivalent.
Chicquita was the star name in the dispersal of owner Paul Makin's equine talent at Goffs last November and she became the most expensive horse ever sold at auction in Ireland when going under the hammer for six million euro.
The four-year-old will carry the colours of the Coolmore triumvirate of Derrick Smith, John Magnier and Michael Tabor for the first time as she faces six rivals at Group Two level, with O'Brien also saddling Shell House and Beyond Brilliance
The biggest threat to the main Ballydoyle runner on ratings is Dermot Weld's three-year-old Tarfasha
Having found only fellow Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum-owned filly Taghrooda too strong in the Oaks at Epsom, Tarfasha was a hot favourite for the Irish version, but could only manage a disappointing fifth.
Off the track for the best part of two months since, connections are hoping for an improved performance.
Sheikh Hamdan's racing manager Angus Gold said: "Mr Weld tells me she is in good form, so let's see how we get on.
"She was disappointing in the Irish Oaks and has had a break since then. Dermot says she has come back in very good form and we hope she can bounce back to her best.
"Chicquita is a Classic winner and our filly isn't, but having said that, if Tarfasha can come back to the form of her Epsom run, hopefully she'd have a good chance."
Ger Lyons runs Roheryn who landed the King George V Cup at Leopardstown on her penultimate start before finding O'Brien's Eye Of The Storm too strong in the Ballyroan Stakes at the same track.
Jim Bolger 's Cosmic Cannonball and Sir Michael Stoute's British raider Mango Diva complete the field.
