Aidan O’Brien’s son of Deep Impact is not only ante-post favourite for the first Classic of the season on the Rowley Mile but also heads the market for the Derby at Epsom next month, such was the impression he made as a juvenile last term.
Auguste Rodin won three of his four starts at two, rounding off the year with a dominant display in the Futurity Trophy at Doncaster, and looks set to make his return to action this weekend.
One of his biggest threats could come from his own yard with stablemate
Little Big Bear, who has not been seen in competitive action since his brilliant victory in the Phoenix Stakes in August, also standing his ground.
Cairo, meanwhile, is a potential third string for O’Brien.
Little Big Bear leads the way in the Phoenix Stakes
Speaking at the Curragh on Monday, the Ballydoyle handler confirmed his intention to saddle both Auguste Rodin and Little Big Bear.
He said: "So far so good, everything has gone good so far. At the moment both are on the way, that's the plan at the moment."
On jockey bookings, O'Brien added: "Obviously Ryan (Moore) won't decide that until he sees everything. I would imagine at the moment he's going to ride Auguste, but that's not in stone."
The home team is headed by Chaldean, who unseated Frankie Dettori shortly after the gates opened in the Greenham Stakes at Newbury a couple of weeks ago, but has proven class and course form as the winner of last season’s Dewhurst Stakes.
Roger Varian looks set to saddle Mill Reef winner Sakheer and the Greenham runner-up Charyn, while Charlie Appleby has the unbeaten Gimcrack victor Noble Style and Breeders’ Cup second Silver Knott in the mix as he bids for back-to-back wins following the victory of Coroebus last season.
Other hopefuls include Paul and Oliver Cole’s Royal Scotsman, who was beaten a head by Chaldean in the Dewhurst, and Craven winner Indestructible – one of three possible runners for trainer Karl Burke along with Holloway Boy and Flight Plan.
French Group One winner Dubai Mile (Charlie Johnston), Galeron (Charlie Hills) and Hi Royal (Kevin Ryan) complete the acceptors.
Slipofthepen ruled out
Slipofthepen could be rerouted to the French 2000 Guineas after connections decided against a bid for Classic glory at Newmarket this weekend.
Two impressive all-weather wins at Kempton from John and Thady Gosden’s promising colt raised the exciting prospect that the three-year-old could give the King and the Queen Consort a runner in the Qipco 2000 Guineas on the ruling monarch’s Coronation Day.
Slipofthepen enjoyed a racecourse gallop on the Rowley Mile last week, but was not left in the first Classic of the season at Monday’s confirmation stage, with the team opting for a more patient approach.
Slipofthepen galloping at Newmarket
Speaking on Nick Luck’s Daily Podcast, the King’s racing manager John Warren said: “I think we were all hoping for that to be the case (that Slipofthepen would run in the 2000 Guineas), especially because it would have been both the King and the Queen Consort’s first Classic runner.
“But I think once we pieced all the jigsaw together and really analysed his prospects, I think we thought it’s come a little bit too soon. He’s an inexperienced horse who is only just learning how to use his legs as fast as he needs to.
“He’s won two races on the all-weather impressively and John Gosden thinks he’s up to becoming a high-class performer, (but) when we added it all together we felt it would be kinder to the horse to give him a little bit more experience.”
Slipofthepen could run at Royal Ascot for owner King Charles III
Whether Slipofthepen heads for ParisLongchamp or not, his main target is to run in front of his owners at Royal Ascot next month.
Warren added: “He’ll do some important racecourse gallops and because he’s held in high regard, there’s a possibility that we will not discount looking at the French Guineas.
“It’s early days to be firm on the plan, but here we are two weeks out from that and that’s what we’re looking at, and if we don’t make it there is the Heron Stakes at Sandown a few days later with the objective that all roads lead to Ascot, which would be great.
“We’re hoping the King and the Queen Consort will be able to attend racing that week, so it would be tremendous to give them a few runners.”