Bianconi will bid to strengthen Ballydoyle's hand in the sprinting ranks when he reappears in the Weatherbys Greenlands Stakes at the Curragh on Saturday. The three-year-old Black Rock Desert gained Aidan O'Brien's first Group success of the season in the Group Three Prix de SaintGeorges at Longchamp on Sunday, and Lavery is also likely to revert to sprints after finishing only 10th in the French 2,000 Guineas.
O'Brien confirmed yesterday, however, that Bianconi will be his representative in Saturday's six-furlong contest.
"Bianconi is our likely runner and we have been very happy with him at home recently. Black Rock Desert did it well in France. He is very fast and has always shown us that at home," he said. Bianconi himself reverted back from a mile last year and picked up the Group Two Diadem Stakes at Ascot last September. He hasn't run since finishing only 12th to My Best Valentine in October's Prix de l'Abbaye.
O'Brien is not yet showing his hand for the weekend Guineas races. With Henry Cecil confirming Enrique for the Entenmann's 2,000, and Island Sands and Major Force expected to be supplemented for £25,000 apiece today, the first classic of the Irish season is turning into a potential cracker.
Orpen and Saffron Waldon are the main Ballydoyle contenders, and while a final decision will not be made until later in the week, Orpen may yet emerge as the number one choice. John Oxx has confirmed his Moyglare winner, Edabiya, to be on course for Sunday's 1,000 despite the filly being in season over the weekend. "She will come out of that and otherwise is well and on target for the weekend," he said.
Wince, who had her Newmarket victory boosted by the success of Valentine Waltz in France on Sunday, will be a warm order for the race and could be joined in the British challenge by Capistrano Day and Hula Angel, who also finished behind her in the English 1,000.
The Lingfield listed winner, Presumed, could be supplemented for the race by trainer Peter Makin. Presumed was a comfortable winner on Saturday week last and would need the ground to be good to travel.
The Curragh manager Brian Kavanagh yesterday described the going as yielding, but the forecast is for decent weekend weather.
