Leopardstown's 2000 Guineas Trial has just four

The run-up to the European Guineas season begins at Leopardstown on Sunday when Dunboyne Express will face just three rivals in the Leopardstown 2000 Guineas Trial, a Group 3 mile worth $67,300.

The eight-length winner of the six-furlong, 63-yard, Group 3 Anglesey Stakes on similar yielding ground at the Curragh in July, Dunboyne Express is a Kevin Prendergast-trained son of Shamardal who failed in his latest attempt at a mile when he ran fifth to Casamento in the Group 1 Racing Post Trophy in October. Daragh McDonogh will ride.

Dunboyne Express’s task was simplified when Aidan O’Brien decided not to run his Group 1 Criterium International winner, Roderic O’Connor, whose stablemate Exodus, who was fourth in that Saint-Cloud mile, will run, as will the John Oxx-trained Cocozza, a son of Elusive Quality who was 3 1/2-length maiden winner at Cork last out in October.

Fourteen fillies will line up for the seven-furlong, Group 3 Leopardstown 1000 Guineas Trial, the best of them the O’Brien-trained Wild Wind, the head runner-up in the Group 3 Park Stakes, and Radharcnafarraige, the Jim Bolger-trained winner of the Group 3 Coolmore Stud Fillies Stakes.