It's all Hall as punters make Parish preference

A HITHERTO confused market for Saturday's Abu Dhabi Irish 2,000 Guineas took on a considerably more opinionated look on Tuesday when punters backed Jim Bolger's Investec Derby aspirant Parish Hall into clear favouritism.

Bolger's audacious plan to claim Classics with the same colt on consecutive weekends will face its first test at the Curragh, where Dubai Dewhurst Stakes winner Parish Hall looks likely to start favourite after being supported into as short as 7-2 from a morning high of 6-1.

Boylesports and Bet365 both go a now best-priced 9-2 from 6-1 about Parish Hall, whose chief market rival, Qipco 2,000 Guineas third Hermival, can still be backed at 6-1 with Coral.

Hermival's trainer Mikel Delzangles told At The Races: "It was a very good run at Newmarket. It was only his third start and he did very well.

"He's definitely going to travel. He did his last piece of work on Monday and everything went well."

Bookmakers on Tuesday also offered their first prices for the Abu Dhabi Irish 1,000 Guineas, for which Newmarket Guineas winner Homecoming Queen is a rock-solid favourite.

Paddy Power arguably erred by offering 6-4 in their first list but as other firms issued much shorter prices Paddy Power sought to fall more in line and now go 5-4 about the nine-length Qipco 1,000 Guineas winner, who is odds-on at 4-5 with Ladbrokes.