Hughes planning to play a waiting game

Having come on in leaps and bounds for the English Guineas run, Tamburlaine should be at his peak now and Hannon is certain he will be suited by the fast ground he is likely to encounter at The Curragh.

As usual, Aidan O'Brien is fielding a strong home side which will be spearheaded by Minardi, who has been chosen big race rider Mick Kinane as his mount by. Minardi had a terrible time when he ran in our Guineas, yet despite being buffeted around, finished strongly to take fourth place. He is a particularly robust individual and, with a trouble-free passage, will certainly test Tamburlaine.

O'Brien's other challengers include Freud, who was fifth in the Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket last year with Jamie Spencer on board. The talented young rider renews the association here and the stable is expecting a big run from the pairing. I take Tamburlaine to wait on Minardi and then get the better in the battle to the line, with Freud following the pair home not too far away.

On Sunday, it is the turn of the fillies at the County Kildare track in the Irish 1,000 Guineas, and again the English should hold the trump card in the shape of the beautifully bred Crystal Music, handled by John Gosden.

The daughter of Nureyev was unbeaten in three races as a two-year-old, but was showing increasing signs of temperament as the season went on. On Guineas day at Headquarters she ran keenly until traffic problems hit her progress. Even so, she was only about a couple of lengths fourth behind winner Ameerat at the post. If she can keep her cool she should have a great chance.

One of the main dangers could be Scarlet Velvet, who has very little racecourse experience. On her only outing, trainer John Oxx ran her in the high class Tetrarch Stakes earlier this month and she went down by just a head to the colt Modigliani. That one subsequently performed well in the French 2,000 Guineas, and the form looks sound.

With another strong entry the O'Brien challengers cannot be dismissed lightly, especially Toroca, who was third to Ameerat in our Guineas. She looked more of a staying type when finishing barely two lengths behind the winning filly that day and should be in at the finish again.