The bookmakers vary as to how warm a favourite Sinndar is for Sunday's Irish Derby but they all agree that he is indeed favourite to complete the English-Irish Derby double, with Corals making him as low as 4 to 5.
Just 12 horses are left in the Derby after yesterday's stage, which saw the French Derby winner, Holding Court, duly supplemented for £85,000 and the 2,000 Guineas winner King's Best left in. Aidan O'Brien has four of the remaining nine entries and Dermot Weld has two.
That was enough for local firm Paddy Power to make Sinndar an evens favourite, with Ladborkes on 11 to 8 while the Cork firm Cashmans, who had been 2 to 1 Sinndar on Monday, are now 5 to 4.
The big difference between the bookies on either side of the Irish Sea is the belief among the local layers that it's King's Best and not Holding Court that is the big danger to Sinndar.
Cashmans are as low as 2 to 1 second favourite King's Best, while the Michael Stoute-trained colt is as long as 7 to 2 third favourite with Corals.
That reflects growing unease about the state of the Curragh going for Holding Court, although that didn't stop the Michael Jarvis-trained colt being supplemented for a crack at the $1 million Budweiser bonus.
Despite the going being good to firm at the Curragh, Jarvis said; "We know how effective he is with give in the ground but there's nothing to say he won't be just as effective on better ground. The chances of that sort of money don't come along too often for people like me and the Goods (owners), so we will have a go."
Holding Court's rider Philip Robinson added: "I'm very pleased he's running. I believe we could beat Sinndar on good to soft, and on good to firm I'd be very hopeful. I'm not worried about faster ground as long as it's not firm. He can handle a fast surface so long as there's no sting in it."
The Curragh manager Jason Morris gave the Holding Court camp an upbeat bulletin yesterday and said: "It was warm and dry today, so we watered but the weather is forecast to become more unsettled on Thursday and Friday, with rain forecast for Saturday."
Dermot Weld has an alternative engagement for Muakaad in the Budweiser International Stakes if he so wishes, but Grand Finale, the only horse to ever beat Sinndar, misses the Derby.
"He just needs a little more time," said Weld yesterday. "Muakaad and Media Puzzle are both possibles and we'll decide closer to the time after looking at the ground and seeing how the race is shaping up."
