Group Three Ballylinch Stud 2000 Guineas Trial Leopardstown Guide 2023

Three-year-old colt for Aidan O’Brien who arrives here as current market favourite, following four career runs on the flat in Ireland. He came second on debut at Tipperary before success in 7f maiden at Curragh in July, beating Al Riffa with Ryan Moore on board. Followed that run with second in a group two at the same C&D before fifth of seven in group one company, with Al Riffa claiming success in the 7f contest.

Comes back down in company here and must be considered as the leading player if excusing that last run amongst better company.

The first of the two bigger market outsiders is Eyeeye, a three-year-old colt for Thomas Mullins who is possibly the most experienced runner in the contest, with six career runs so far. None of those have yielded a victory, with his best effort a third-place finish at Curragh over 1m 1f in October last year.

Drops back down in trip here to 7f, having run twice at 5f and 6f to no success and looks unlikely to put that right here.

Signatory comes into this group three contest on the back of just the one career run, finishing second of 13 on the flat at Dundalk in January, over 1m. He finished just under a length behind winner Teutates, who has since gone on to finish fourth over the same trip at 13/8 after that victory.

Third that day News At Ten has since won a maiden and finished second to group winner Cairo at Dundalk over 1m to give some context to Signatory’s opening run for John Joseph Murphy.

Should not be underestimated here, although this is a tougher contest for the three-year-old.

The second of Aidan O’Brien’s runners in this contest is Carracci, a three-year-old colt who won on his second outing on the flat over this trip at Dundalk last time out, beating Farnborough by half a length to claim maiden success. That was after finishing fifth on debut at Curragh in October.

Ran well in that first victory at Dundalk, leading at a furlong out to stay on well for victory. Should not be discounted after that run.

The first of John Joseph Murphy’s horses in this race is Sea Chariot, who arrives here having won his most recent outing on the flat over 7f at Dundalk, winning a maiden contest by half a length to Artemis Jones. That run was impressive and followed his sixth on debut at the same course over 1m in February this year.

Perhaps not as fresh as some of the runners in this but that shouldn’t be a bad thing and the 7f trip seemed to suit him on his last outing, but this is a step up.

Three-year-old colt who has recorded first and third place finishes on both his two runs in Ireland, winning at Naas in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden before third in Group Three Killavullan Stakes at Leopardstown in October last year.

Goes off a mark of 100 for this contest over 7f and should be in the mix for victory on the back of his opening two career runs. Shane Foley will do the steering.

Claire O’Connell sends one for this contest in the shape of Empty Metaphor, who has had two starts on the flat in his career so far. Those two runs have both come over 7f at Dundalk, finishing fourth of 14 on debut before sixth of 12 last time out when priced at 8/1 in December.

Has yet to make his mark on the flat and stepping up to this company here makes it more unlikely that he will do so in this race. Dismissed.