Irish 2,000 Guineas sub-plot adds intrigue to a potentially fascinating race

I wonder what William Powell Frith would have made of the digital advert mock-ups that form part of Great British Racing's new £3.62 million advertising campaign?

'Teacup rides', as depicted in one of the images, seems a bit lame compared to thimble-riggers, acrobats, musicians and thieves rubbing shoulders with members of the Reform Club. These characters, together with the aristocracy mingling with beggars and street vendors, are all contained in Frith's Derby Day, a huge work of art that took 15 months to complete and depicts Victorian society in all its forms in attendance at the big race in the 1850s.

It hangs at Tate Britain and is well worth taking in ahead of the Classic in a fortnight. Frith had plenty to work with. The Derby used to stop England's capital in the 19th century. Sadly, that's no longer the case, but at least we can console ourselves with the fact that, even though the spectators are not as fascinating as they once were, the races themselves certainly can be, including Saturday's Irish 2,000 Guineas, in which, in an uncanny sub-plot, history could well repeat itself and a champion could emerge as an heir to his sire.