Giant's Causeway has been cut to as short as 5 to 4 favourite for Saturday's Entenmann's Irish 2,000 Guineas, despite the ground at the Curragh being described as 'yielding to soft' on the Guineas course.
Showers at headquarters yesterday turned the going on the round track to 'yielding', but it is softer on the straight course. Giant's Causeway won last season's Prix de la Salamandre on the soft, but Aidan O'Brien would not like it to get too testing.
'He's a great moving horse and the better the ground the better he'll be,' O'Brien said yesterday evening.
That didn't stop Cashmans slashing Giant's Causeway's price to 5 to 4 with the mud-loving Barathea Guest second best on 2 to 1. Rider Michael Kinane is confident of beating Barathea Guest again, as he did at Newmarket.
'The Curragh will suit my horse. It's a stiff mile and I'm hopeful of a big run,' Kinane said last evening.
The Cork firm also report 'strong support' for the English 1,000 Guineas winner Lahan, who is now 11 to 4 favourite to complete an unprecedented double in Sunday's 1,000 Guineas.
The main Irish hope, Preseli, is on 9 to 2 and will have a final workout on Friday after pleasing trainer Michael Grassick since maintaining her unbeaten record at Leopardstown 12 days ago.
'It took her a few days to get over that race, but she is fine now and if the ground is on the slow side, all the better,' Grassick said.
Dermot Weld saddles Theoretically in the 1,000 Guineas but will also be represented in another classic on Sunday as the Gowran winner, Quality Team, will take his chance in the Derby Italiano at Capannelle.
With Pat Smullen on duty at the Curragh, Pat Shanahan will take the ride on Quality Team, who will try to emulate a former Weld-trained winner of the Italian Derby, In A Tiff.
Causeway stays in Derby field
There were no surprise withdrawals among the leading fancies for the Vodafone Derby at Epsom on June 10th after 32 horses stood their ground at yesterday's forfeit stage. Horses can still be supplemented for £75,000 on Saturday June 3rd.
Aidan O'Brien has left six horses in the contest, including last year's Racing Post Trophy winner Aristotle, who was demoted to third after finishing first past the post in the Prix Greffulhe at Longchamp last month.
The Ballydoyle trainer also has Apollo Victoria, Bach, Ciro, Giant's Causeway and Shakespeare in the race.
Henry Cecil has admitted it will be a 'big challenge' to get his trio of hopes ready for Epsom.
But the trainer is still hopeful of running Beat Hollow, Bien Entendu and Wellbeing in the Classic.
The trio are unbeaten this season, the former winning the Green Ridge Stables Newmarket Stakes earlier this month.
However, their preparation has been put on hold after they were found to have mucus in their lungs.
Godolphin have five possibles to choose from: Best Of The Bests, Broche, Hatha Anna, Inchlonaig and Roscius.
Derby betting
Ladbrokes: 3-1 King's Best, 5-1 Beat Hollow, 7-1 Sakhee, 8-1 Aristotle, 9-1 Sinndar, 10-1 Best Of The Bests, 20-1 Barathea Guest, Hataab, Holding Court, Kingsclere, Millenary, Saddler's Quest, 40-1 Going Global.
Tote: 7-2 King's Best, 4-1 Beat Hollow, 7-1 Sakhee, Aristotle, 10-1 Best Of The Bests, Sinndar, 14-1 Hataab, 16-1 Kingsclere, 20-1 Saddler's Quest, 25-1 Bar.
William Hill: 7-2 King's Best, 5-1 Beat Hollow, 8-1 Aristotle, Sakhee, 10-1 Best Of The Bests, Sinndar, 16-1 Kingsclere, 20-1 Hattab, Saddler's Quest, 33-1 Bar.
