Giant's Causeway is ready for big test

Giant's Causeway is a best priced 15 to 8 favourite with the British Tote to beat seven opponents in tomorrow's Entenmann's Irish 2,000 Guineas.

A field of eight was declared for the first Irish classic of the season, with Aidan O'Brien's other entry, Bach, and Kevin Prendergast's Shibl coming out at yesterday's 48-hour declaration stage.

"Everything is fine with Giant's Causeway and now we're just hoping for the best," O'Brien said yesterday after reporting Apollo Victoria a "possible runner" in Sunday's Derby Italiano at Capanelle. Dermot Weld has already confirmed Quality Team a runner in the Italian classic.

George Margarson, the trainer of the second favourite, Barathea Guest, also gave the Giant's Causeway camp a morale boost when admitting he isn't confident of his horse reversing the Newmarket 2,000 Guineas placings.

"Giant's Causeway is a very impressive and uncomplicated horse and I wouldn't be confident of reversing the form with him. I actually thought he'd win at Newmarket," Margarson said yesterday.

Other 2,000 Guineas news yesterday centred on John Murtagh's booking for the Godolphin second string, Glad Master, and confirmation that Neil Pollard will ride the David Elsworth-trained Scarteen Fox. "He's young, ambitious and deserves the chance," said Elsworth of the jockey, who celebrated his 22nd birthday yesterday. "Scarteen Fox's run at Newmarket (19th) was inconclusive as he was poorly drawn, and I think he has a good, sporting chance at the Curragh," Elsworth added.

An eighth of an inch of rain fell at the Curragh on Thursday morning and the ground on the straight course is "yielding to soft".

Paddy Power bet: 7/4 Giant's Causeway, 9/4 Barathea Guest & Bachir, 12/1 Scarteen Fox, 14/1 Cape Town, Glad Master, 20/1 Legal Jousting, 150/1 Gregorian