Aaidan O'Brien and the Coolmore Stud operation headed by John Magnier and Michael Tabor move into overdrive this weekend with the Ballydoyle trainer responsible for 10 runners in three Classics over two days.
Hawk Wing, an impressive winner from Naheef and his stable-mate Sholokhov at the Curragh on his last appearance in the National Stakes, will be hard to beat in this afternoon's Sagitta 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket if the noises emanating from his stable are accurate. He's a short price, particularly in a big field with potential for finding trouble in running.
Andre Fabre, champion trainer in France for the last 15 years, is a rare visitor to Britain these days - he had only three runners here last year, winning the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot with Banks Hill.
All the more reason, then, to respect the chances of Fabre's challenger in this afternoon's first Classic, Massalani.
In a betting market dominated by Hawk Wing and King Of Happiness, this unbeaten colt represents each-way value at 16 to 1.
Successful in today's Classic with Zafonic in 1993 and Pennekamp two years later, Fabre would not be running Massalani unless he was satisfied the colt was up to the standard required.
Following the route taken with his previous Guineas winners, Fabre gave Massalani his warm-up race in the Prix Djebel at Maisons-Laffitte. The Ashkalani colt readily accounted for Zipping, who also takes his chance today and deservedly so, having shown smart form last year when twice finishing second to Johannesburg.
King Of Happiness, bidding to give Michael Stoute a 2,000 Guineas hat-trick, needs to improve on his Craven Stakes form; O'Brien's Rock Of Gibraltar may prove better over shorter trips, while Love Regardless's odds of 8 to 1 are skimpy based on his win in a Newcastle maiden. Massalani can be backed at twice the price.
Johannesburg received a vote of confidence from his part-owner, Tabor, after the colt, along with stablemate Castle Gandolfo, completed his preparation for the Kentucky Derby yesterday and this Breeder' Cup victor may be Ballydoyle's best chance of glory this weekend.
Tabor watched last year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner stride out for about six furlongs in a solo work-out after which he exclaimed: "I feel that this horse has so much class that if he gets the extra distance at Churchill Downs I don't see why he shouldn't win.
"People in England might say that the Breeders' Cup was a mile and a sixteenth and that this is only another 330 yards but I'm under no illusion that the Derby is different altogether as they go at breakneck speed and around two turns.
"I have to respect what the Americans say about preparing a horse for this race but I have complete and utter faith in Aidan (O'Brien) and I can tell you that Johannesburg has trained on."
Amidst unconfirmed rumours that Johannesburg did not travel as well as his connections would have liked, Tabor played down the fact his colt was beaten on his reappearance in the Gladness Stakes at the Curragh.
"Remember that Giant's Causeway got beaten in that race and all I can say is that the colt went back to Ballydoyle and worked very well and I know that Aidan is very happy with him. All his work is done, he's fresh and ready."
Tabor said he had no say in the choosing of the respective American jockeys, Gary Stevens and Jerry Bailey, for Johannesburg and Castle Gandolfo.
"The discussions involved Jerry, Gary and Aidan and I stayed out of it. Of course it's nice to have Gary as he won the race for me on Thunder Gulch seven years ago."
Upsets are rare in the Sagitta 1,000 Guineas. The winner is generally a filly who was highly rated as a two-year-old and last season there was none better than Queen's Logic. She is a worthy favourite to lift tomorrow's Newmarket Classic for the popular trainer/jockey team of Mick Channon and Steve Drowne.
Brilliant when winning last autumn's Cheveley Park Stakes by seven lengths, Queen's Logic was more workmanlike on her reappearance over seven furlongs at Newbury, where the unlucky-in-running Roundtree finished with a flourish into second spot.
But, as Channon was at pains to point out, that was only a trial. Queen's Logic remains unbeaten and there seems little doubt she will stay the extra furlong.
Queen's Logic ran clean away from Sophisticat in the Cheveley Park, with another O'Brien filly, Lahinch, only fourth.
The last-named tries again, but Quarter Moon, who will be ridden by Michael Kinane (returning from his ban), and Maryinsky (Kieran Fallon) are Ballydoyle's best hopes.
