Ballydoyle fillies bid to put on a show in 1,000 Guineas Trial

2.45 Leopardstown
Ballylinch Stud 'Priory Belle' 1,000 Guineas Trial Stakes (Group 3) | 7f | 3yo | ATR

Has Moore chosen correctly?

The ratings suggest that Actress (106) is the best of the Ballydoyle bunch but stable jockey Ryan Moore has chosen the unexposed I Can Fly instead and our very own Pricewise, Tom Segal, has tipped up the daughter of Fastnet Rock at 33-1 for the first fillies' Classic of the season at Newmarket. Perhaps she's the one we should be getting excited about.

I Can Fly didn't appear until September but she was worth waiting for.

A four-length victory in a Dundalk maiden was followed by a fine third in the Group 3 Oh So Sharp Stakes at Newmarket, where she traded a short-priced favourite for much of the race, and there should be lots more to come at three.

"I Can Fly is in good form. She had two runs last year, winning at Dundalk and then finishing third at Newmarket. We're very happy with her at home," said trainer Aidan O'Brien.

Actress was a very busy juvenile, running eight times and acquiring a rating of 106, and she tries further than six furlongs for the first time in her career.

"This will tell us whether she gets 7f or not. It's her first time over the trip so it should tell us plenty. She's just ready to start off," O'Brien said.

Actress: became the first Group winner from the sole Irish crop of Declaration Of WarCredit: Patrick McCann

The Ballydoyle quartet is completed by Butterscotch and Leopardstown maiden winner Sarrocchi.

O'Brien said: "Butterscotch has form with ease in the ground. How much further than seven furlongs she will get, I'm not sure. She seems ready to start.

"Sarrocchi won a back-end maiden on easy ground but she'll improve a lot for this first run back."

Will Alpha continue her progression?

No filly made more of an impression in the early stages of last season than the giant Alpha Centauri, who won her first two starts and was sent off 2-1 favourite for the Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot where she found just the French-trained Different League too good.

She dwarfed most of her rivals as a juvenile but can she progress into a top-class three-year-old? This should reveal all.

"We're very happy with her, she has done very well over the winter and may even have grown a little bit. She has developed, filled out a bit and is very strong now," said Jessica Harrington.

Alpha Centauri has done well over the winter and looks set for good things this seasonCredit: Caroline Norris (racingpost.com/photos)

Richard O'Brien to upset Aidan?

Promising young trainer Richard O’Brien will hoping that the improving Dianthus can build on her victory in the Madrid Handicap on the opening day of the season which gave the trainer the biggest success of his career.

Dianthus: beat the well-treated London Icon when last seenCredit: Patrick McCann

O’Brien said: "Dianthus has certainly been pleasing me since her run at Naas last month. When Chris Hayes got off her that day in Naas his exact words were ‘she’s a Guineas Trial filly all day long’ so we’ve given her the entry.

"She's in good form and we know she’ll handle the ground conditions. It’s nice to be making entries for this calibre of race."

Can Yulong score on her reappearance?

Bargain-buy Yulong Gold Fairy will represent Dermot Weld after signing off with a victory in the Foran Auction Race Series Final at Naas last October.

"Yulong Gold Fairy is coming back nicely, she’s a nice filly and I expect her to run a good race.

"However, although we've had a few nice winners already this season, Yulong Gold Fairy would be like most of mine and will be better with some sunshine on her back but she’s well, she’s coming forward and I expect her to run a nice race," Weld said.

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