Mastercraftsman rediscovered his winning ways just in time to take classic honors in the Irish 2000 Guineas at the Curragh on Saturday.

Reveling in the heavy ground, the Aidan O'Brien-trained Master-craftsman cruised to a 4 1/2-length victory over Rayeni in the Group 1, $615,000 mile, a clear improvement on his fifth-place finish in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket three weeks ago.

Buena Vista's tall reputation precedes her into the $2.4 million Yushun Himba, or Japanese Oaks, at Tokyo Racecourse on Sunday. She came from last to first to win the one-mile Japanese 1000 Guineas last month, a performance so impressive it had some observers touting her as the filly version of Deep Impact, the winner of the Japanese Triple Crown in 2005 and widely regarded as the greatest racehorse Japan has ever produced.

Sixteen fillies will line up for the $611,000 Irish 1000 Guineas at the Curragh on Sunday, but only four of them appear to be Group 1 caliber at this stage. Again, a daughter of Danehill Dancer who was a two-time group race winner last summer on the same soft ground she will encounter in Sunday's classic mile, merits a favorite's chance, but the David Wachman trainee has been away from the races since Oct. 5 when she was an inexplicable 14th of 16 in the Prix Marcel Boussac at Longchamp.

Delegator will have to fend off a quartet of Aidan O'Brien trainees and a trio of dangerous newcomers to the classic scene if he is to confirm narrow favoritism for the $552,000 Irish 2000 Guineas at the Curragh on Saturday.

The runner-up behind Sea the Stars in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket three weeks ago, Delegator will also have to contend with conditons that could range anywhere from soft to heavy for the Group 1 mile.

The possibility of boglike conditions could play havoc with this weekend's Irish Guineas meeting at the Curragh. Trainer Michael Stoute said that Tartan Bearer, favorite for the Group 1 Tattersalls Gold Cup on Sunday, would not be making the trip from England across the Irish Sea because of the ground, which was officially heavy on Wednesday.

Overdose is overdosing on his foot problems. The undefeated Hungarian sprinter, earlier knocked out of Saturday's Temple Stakes at Haydock Park, will now miss Royal Ascot next month as his foot injury has taken longer to clear up than expected. The inflammation of his left fore, caused by an ill-fitting horseshoe, spread to his right fore because he was putting more weight on that foot. Owner Zoltan Mikoczy said that Overdose is now standing on both feet. X-rays will be taken on Wednesday and it is hoped that he will be able to take a walk outside of his barn on Thursday.

Vodka gave nothing else a chance at Tokyo on Sunday with a stylish seven-length triumph in the $1.8 million, Grade 1 Victoria Mile. Second in this race last year, the reigning Japanese Horse of the Year split foes at the quarter pole and sped clear under Yutaka Take to the cheers of her many backers who had bet her down to 7-10 favoritism in the 18-runner field.

Goldikova failed to handle the soft ground and the added distance of the Prix d'Ispahan at Longchamp on Sunday, finishing a lackluster seventh behind Never On Sunday. Away from the races since her scintillating victory in the Breeders' Cup Mile, she faded tamely through the stretch in the $340,000 Group 1 contest, whose 1 1/8 miles, 55 yards were simply too far for her, especially on soft ground.

Vodka gave nothing else a chance at Tokyo on Sunday with a stylish seven-length triumph in the Grade 1, $1.8 million Victoria Mile. Second in this race last year, the reigning Japanese Horse of the Year split foes at the quarter pole and sped clear under Yutaka Take to the cheers of her many backers who had bet her down to 7-10 favoritism in the 18-runner field.

Goldikova failed to handle the soft ground and the added distance of the Prix d'Ispahan at Longchmap on Sunday, finishing a lackluster seventh behind Never on Sunday. Away from the races since her scintillating victory in the Breeders' Cup Mile, Goldikova faded tamely through the stretch in the $340,000 Group 1 contest, whose 1 1/8 miles, 55 yards were simply too far for her, especially on soft ground.