O'Brien to saddle four in Guineas

Aidan O'Brien will saddle four of the nine starters in Saturday's $485,000 Irish 2000 Guineas at the Curragh, but Footstepsinthesand is not one of them.

The winner of the English 2000 Guineas Stakes on April 30 picked up a stone bruise during his victorious excursion to Newmarket. He subsequently missed a few days of training and was not quite ready to go for a Guineas double. Thus, O'Brien's first-string rider Kieren Fallon will switch to Newmarket Guineas fourth Oratorio while Johnny Murtagh, who rode Oratorio at Newmarket, takes the reins on Showdance.

Oratorio should be able to confirm favoritism in the classic mile. The winner last fall of the Group 1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere at Longchamp was not fully wound up for Newmarket. After a slow start, the Danehill colt finished well and has surely come on for that effort. Showdance, a Kingmambo half brother to Yellow Ribbon and Gamely winner Fiji, is an intriguing maiden winner who has not run since June 12.

Albert Hall, only fifth behind Epsom Derby favorite Motivator in the 1 5/16-mile Dante Stakes last week at York, makes a quick reappearance, while Galway maiden winner Hills Of Aran completes the Ballydoyle quartet.

Rebel Rebel, the surprise 100-1 runner-up behind Footstepsinthesand in the English Guineas, has been supplemented to the Irish edition, but there is a bigger threat to O'Brien's hopes for a fourth success in this Curragh classic in Dubawi. A wandering fifth for Godolphin at Newmarket, the son of Dubai Millennium will appreciate any additional rain which might soften a course rated good to yielding on Thursday morning.

Democratic Deficit, winner of the Group 3 Craven Stakes but only sixth in the 2000 Guineas last time, needs to show more, while Bobs Pride and Capable Guest both seem well held on their recent form.