A feast of action as Sandown and the Curragh provide the main courses

The next seven days are bursting with quality, with Sandown delivering a midweek treat in the form of the Brigadier Gerard fixture on Thursday and the Curragh staging the Irish Guineas over a bumper weekend.

Tuesday

Alarm clocks will need to be set as Epsom hosts Breakfast With The Stars, an event offering the opportunity for Investec Derby and Oaks hopefuls to acquaint themselves with the track ahead of their dates with destiny next weekend.

A real dawn til dusk type of day, as three afternoon meetings are followed by three evening cards with Hexham wrapping up proceedings as late as 9pm.

Wednesday

Another half a dozen meetings in Britain and Ireland, the pick of which comes north of the border with Ayr staging the Listed Tennent's British Stallion Studs EBF Rothesay Stakes for fillies and mares.

The race was only established two years ago, but received a major boost when last year's winner Nezwaah went on to claim the Group 1 Pretty Polly Stakes on her next start.

Nezwaah: last year's Rothesay Stakes winner went on to score at Group 1 levelCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

Thursday

The best evening meeting of the season will be staged at Sandown and punters have the added bonus of the ITV4 cameras being on hand for the Matchbook Brigadier Gerard fixture.

The popular card, which also features the Henry II Stakes, two Listed races and a couple of competitive handicaps including the historic Whitsun Cup, often serves up a multitude of Royal Ascot clues.

Sandown racecard in full

Big Orange won the Henry II Stakes last season before going on to get the better of Order Of St George in an epic duel for the Gold Cup.

Earlier in the day, Goodwood begins its two-day Classic trials meeting with the fillies offered a chance to book a last-minute trip to the Investec Oaks in the Listed Height Of Fashion Stakes. The last horse to win both races was Snow Fairy in 2010.

Friday

It is the turn of the colts to go on Classic trial at Goodwood as the Listed Cocked Hat Stakes takes centre stage.

Although the last Cocked Hat winner to win the big one at Epsom was Troy back 1979, 2015 scorer Storm The Stars went on to finish third in the Derby.

Haydock starts its two-day Temple Stakes meeting with a mixture of informative novice stakes contests and punter-friendly handicaps.

Saturday

A mouth-watering day in prospect with the Tattersalls Irish 2,000 Guineas topping the bill. Gustav Klimt, sixth in the Qipco 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket, heads the betting to give Aidan O'Brien his 12th victory in the race.

On a classy Curragh card, the older fillies will lock horns in the Lanwades Stud Stakes and Australian sprinting import Merchant Navy could make his first start for O'Brien in the Weatherbys Ireland Greenlands Stakes.

Another outstanding sprinter could thrill the crowds at Haydock with Battaash earmarked for the Armstrong Aggregates Temple Stakes on a card that also includes the key Commonwealth Cup trial, the Armstrong Aggregates Sandy Lane Stakes.

Sunday

All eyes will be fix on the Curragh on Tattersalls Irish 1,000 Guineas day. Happily has been strong in the ante-post betting for the fillies' Classic and could be joined by O'Brien stablemate Clemmie. The card also features the Group 1 Tattersalls Gold Cup and Group 3 Airlie Stud Gallinule Stakes.

Read The Briefing from 8.30am daily on racingpost.com with all the day's latest going, weather, market moves and non-runner news