Newmarket Guineas news: Jim Bolger has described himself as being "ninety nine point nine per cent happy" on the run-up to Saturday's Stan James 2,000 Guineas after his unbeaten superstar colt Teofilo put in a satisfactory final serious piece of work yesterday morning.
"All we have to do now is get through the next few days and then put him on the plane," said the trainer who also saddles the favourite Finsceal Beo in Sunday's 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket.
However, there was less positive news from the Aidan O'Brien team as one of the four likely 2,000 Guineas runners from Ballydoyle, Mount Nelson, is now regarded as a doubt.
"They all worked this morning but Mount Nelson didn't blow off as quickly as the others so we are going to have to look at his test results over the next day or two," O'Brien said. "Being realistic, we might not be able to run him but we will go through the tests on them all before deciding."
Both Bolger and O'Brien, along with the other trainers, Dermot Weld, Michael Halford and Ger Lyons, attended yesterday's official launch by Horse Racing Irelasnd of the 2007 summer racing season. The focus, however, was on this weekend's first classics of the season in Britain when Bolger will attempt a Guineas double brought off by his former pupil O'Brien only two years ago.
A slight hiccup in Teofilo's training caused some concern in the ante-post Guineas betting a couple of weeks ago but the favourite's preparation for Newmarket now appears to be solidly back on track.
"He has had two bits of fast work, a swim, and cantered in the days in between. He did his last main piece of work this morning and he went very well," Bolger said.
Asked to nominate likely dangers to his possible Triple Crown candidate, Bolger significantly named the French horse US Ranger.
"I saw his last race on television and he was very impressive. He could well be the main danger. There is also Adagio and the horse that won at Newbury (Major Cadeaux.) I'm also sure that Aidan won't give anyone a bye. I'm sure whatever he runs will have to be reckoned with," he said.
However, O'Brien, chasing a fifth 2,000 Guineas success, may now be only triple-handed and the champion trainer appeared to catch the mood yesterday when he described Teofilo as being a "serious horse".
He added: "It looks like being a big field and where the pace will be a big thing. If there are 30 runners, it will look like one of those big handicaps. But Teofilo is brave and he won't mind ploughing his own furrow if he has to."
As for his own probable team, O'Brien reported: "We have always thought a lot of Duke Of Marmalade who fractured a pastern in the Champagne last year. He is back now and he's a hardy type who looks in good shape. Yellowstone delighted us in a slowly run trial and we're very happy with Eagle Mountain."
The Ballydoyle trainer will be represented by Theann in the 1,000 Guineas in which Bolger reckons the Prix Marcel Boussac and Rockfel winner Finsceal Beo could face a slightly easier assignment than Teofilo.
"Her task would appear on paper to be easier. She has had no problems in her build-up," he said before indicating that the filly will be kept to a mile after Newmarket. "We will look at the Guineas around Europe and the Coronation Stakes. But I have also put her in the Pretty Polly Stakes."
