Describe a race as impossible to call and fate will usually bite back with a brilliant 10-length winner. Examine today's Entenmann's Irish 2,000 Guineas at the Curragh, however, and the urge to tempt fate yet again is irresistible. Island Sands and Enrique, first and second in the Newmarket Guineas, meet again, and while the record of those with proven classic form have a fine record in this race, both will hardly have the opposition quaking.
Enrique, for one, has had foot problems this week and may prefer faster going than the predicted "good to yielding" anyway. Island Sands is unbeaten in three and made virtually all at Newmarket in an admirably courageous display. Against that is the fact of the handicapper rating him a poor Guineas winner, a view that gained credence when the Newmarket third, Mujahid, got trounced in the French equivalent last weekend.
So what is there in the home team to oppose the favourites with. Orpen, who started favourite at Newmarket only to pull like an express train, is given another chance over a mile, and with Mick Kinane on board is clearly the first choice of the Aidan O'Brien-trained quartet.
Orpen looked like Newmarket would bring him on and O'Brien has been pleased with his work and his attitude since, but there are still clear stamina doubts. In contrast, Saffron Waldon could need longer, but it's significant that Olivier Peslier has been called in for the ride.
Access All Areas could surprise a few here but hardly appeals as a classic winner, a comment that also applies to Tarfaa. So having knocked them all, it's time to suggest an alternative, and with odds of 12 to 1 available, Mus-If appeals as a value alternative.
Although a Group One winner already, he may not have the obvious class of some previous Irish Guineas winners, but this may not be a vintage renewal. But he is a tough and versatile colt who will allow Pat Smullen a number of tactical options.
A mile is his ideal trip, the ground will also be perfect, and if Saffron Waldon is your fancy, then Mus-If has to be also, having lost him by just a head at Leopardstown when conceding 7lb. Yet Mus-If is points longer in the betting.
Major Force had been touted as Dermot Weld's main hope but wasn't supplemented for the race. Neither Weld nor Smullen seemed exactly gutted by that afterwards, and at these odds in a race full of question marks, Mus-If looks a reasonable bet to show why.
The Diadem winner, Bianconi, reappears in the Weatherbys Greenlands Stakes, but first time out he has to give a chunk of weight away to Rolo Tomasi, who had a hard race in the Gladness but now reverts to sprinting.
By reputation alone, Aidan O'Brien's Nureyev colt, Fasliyev, is unopposable in the Chandler Marble Hill Stakes; and Khatela, a 100,000 guineas purchase last December, can add to her stud value with a success in the CBA Handicap.
