Highfield Princess leads British assault on Group 1 Flying Five Stakes at the Curragh

British-trained sprinters have outscored the home team by three to two in the five years since the Flying Five was raised to Group 1 status in 2018. That lead, symptomatic of a general Irish weakness in this division, is likely to be extended.

Last year's blistering winner Highfield Princess bids to become the first back-to-back scorer since Benbaun, who won it three times in a row (2005-07) in its Group 3 days. The John Quinn-trained mare is one of five runners from Britain in a field that has also attracted a rare French sprint raider. Bouttemont has done most of his racing over six furlongs but captured a Listed event over the minimum at Chantilly in June.

The spotlight falls on Highfield Princess and Bradsell, a colt half her age and winner of last year's Coventry Stakes. The pair meet for a third time as Archie Watson was inspired to supplement Bradsell for the King's Stand at Royal Ascot after two early-season defeats over six furlongs. Taking the lead around two furlongs down, Bradsell was strongly challenged by Highfield Princess inside the last furlong and Hollie Doyle was unable to prevent him from drifting left in the closing stages. However, it was a case of intimidation rather than direct interference, and the mare was not generally deemed an unlucky loser.

After a game effort in taking third place behind two rivals running down the centre in the six-furlong Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes on the final day of the royal meeting, Highfield Princess regained the winning thread with a comfortable odds-on success in the King George Stakes at Goodwood. From there she went to York, bidding for a repeat of last year's Nunthorpe triumph.

Though unable to get to grips with the front-running outsider Live In The Dream, she got the better of the rematch with Bradsell to the tune of three-quarters of a length. That could be the crucial piece of evidence as the pair meet again in the race in which the mare bolted up 12 months ago.

The Tim Easterby-trained Art Power presents contrasting statistical claims. On one hand, he is a very appealing contender due to his perfect record in four visits to the Curragh. He has the measure of the home-trained runners on the basis of this season's victories in the Greenlands Stakes and the Sapphire Stakes. On the other hand, he has contested 12 Group 1 races over the course of three seasons without winning one, a distinct negative.

The Irish team will likely be headed by the Ken Condon-trained Moss Tucker, who produced a career-best when galloping over two lengths clear of Go Athletico in the Group 3 Phoenix Sprint Stakes at the Curragh last month. That was over six furlongs but he is a Listed winner over the minimum trip, albeit on soft ground.

The five-year-old looks to be in the form of his life and could make his presence felt, although very quick ground would be a slight concern. The Johnny Murtagh-trained Ladies Church is capable of smart form on her day, best illustrated by her Listed win at Naas in May when she defeated Moss Tucker by three lengths.

'She seemed to relish the Curragh last year'

John Quinn's stable star Highfield Princess will bid to land a fourth Group 1 and a second Flying Five, although she has a familiar foe in opposition at the head of the market in Bradsell.

The six-year-old returns to the scene of her devastating triumph in this contest 12 months ago, where she blasted three and a quarter lengths clear of the field for her third Group 1 on the bounce before going on to finish fourth in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint later that autumn.

She has returned this season with some excellent efforts in defeat to go along with a Group 2 success at Goodwood on her penultimate start, most notably when finishing one length behind Bradsell in the King's Stand at Royal Ascot and finishing the same distance behind Live In The Dream in the Nunthorpe at York just over two weeks ago.

Highfield Princess (centre) and Bradsell (right): ran brave defeats in the Nunthorpe Stakes

Highfield Princess (middle) and Bradsell are beaten by Live In The Dream in the NunthorpeCredit: Edward Whitaker

Quinn said: "We're very happy with her. She seemed to relish the Curragh last year, she really enjoyed the track, so we're hoping she can win but the British have a strong team and there are a couple of the Irish who are unexposed so you never know.

"She ran well at York, there were several Royal Ascot winners behind her so it was a strong Nunthorpe. Live In The Dream hit the gate like a greyhound, was three lengths in front and nobody could catch him, but Highfield Princess stuck on really well."

What they say

Tim Easterby, trainer of Art Power
He's bang-on now, he's in good form again. Maybe the six and a half furlongs just found him out on very testing ground last time. He likes the track and the ground should be fairly good. I'm very happy with him.

Ken Condon, trainer of Moss Tucker
All has been well with him since the Phoenix Sprint Stakes. He would welcome the bit of rain that is forecast and he is in great form. I think it probably was a career-best the last day and sprinters can improve with age. He's five now but is getting the hang of things and he's quite smart on his day.

Aidan O'Brien, trainer of Aesop's Fables
He needed the run badly at York but we had to run him and there was nowhere else to go. He ran okay. Ryan [Moore] went forward on him and he got tired. We're happy with him since York and we think he will leave that form behind.

Hollie Doyle, rider of Bradsell
I can't wait to ride him. I think the stiff five furlongs at the Curragh will suit him and he's in top form. It was a solid run at York but it was probably a bit too sharp for him and the winner had more speed than the rest of us. We're taking on Highfield Princess again, there's not much between them and it will be interesting.

Sunday's previews:

3.25 Curragh: Speedy Ylang Ylang bidding to join an illustrious roll of honour for Ballydoyle in the Moyglare

4.00 Curragh: 'He's exciting and has done very well since you saw him last' - next year's Guineas and Derby favourite City Of Troy returns

4.35 Curragh: 'I can't believe the stage he's at' - Kyprios progress has Aidan O'Brien baffled as star stayer returns

2.50 Longchamp: Can Warm Heart succeed where Yesterday and Snowfall fell short for Aidan O'Brien in Prix Vermeille?

3.25 Longchamp: 'He has a real turn of foot' - Feed The Flame out to stake Arc claims on trials day