Aidan O'Brien's team will be in Group One action on both sides of the Atlantic today, culminating in Astronomer Royal's attempt on the $600,000 Shadwell Turf Mile at Keeneland.
Ireland's champion trainer is looking for a third success in the race after Aussie Rules last year and Landseer in 2002 and America's top jockey John Velazquez has been engaged to ride.
Like both Aussie Rules and Landseer, Astronomer Royal travels to the US as a French 2,000 Guineas winner and faces a home team that could be headed by the Grade Two winner Shakis, owned by the race sponsor, Sheikh Hamdan. The race is due off at 10.45 tonight.
US Ranger will fly the Ballydoyle flag in this afternoon's Prix de la Foret at Longchamp as the colt returns to France after a hugely impressive first run for O'Brien at the Curragh following his transfer from Jean Claude Rouget's stable.
This represents a step back up to seven furlongs, the distance at which Tariq beat US Ranger in the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot, and it is significant that O'Brien allows the colt run again just six days after winning last time.
As well as Tariq, Peter Chapple-Hyam runs the Guineas runner-up Dutch Art while the Group One winning sprinter Red Clubs stretches his stamina against the Haydock Sprint Cup runner-up Marchand d'Or.
On his home turf, Freddie Head's course and distance winner might be hard to beat.
Other Irish interest at Longchamp will centre on the Kevin Prendergast- trained pair of Mores Wells (Prix Chaudenay) and Decado (Prix Daniel Wildenstein) and also O'Brien's All My Loving in the Group Two Prix de Royallieu.
The home feature this weekend is the Group Three Coolmore Concorde Stakes at Tipperary where Michael Kinane and Eastern Appeal look a winning combination.
Michael Halford's filly ran the race of her life in the Group One Matron Stakes last month when passing the post third behind Echelon only to be demoted to fourth for causing interference to Arch Swing.
There's nothing of that class in tomorrow's race where the other 112 rated horse, Hard Rock City, looks the danger.
The faster the going the better for Jubilant Note who could secure the Grade Two Tipperary Hurdle despite looking to have a bit to do on the ratings while the impressive Listowel winner Quintana can make the most of significant weight concession from Field Commander in the Grade Three novice hurdle.
Gowran's feature this afternoon is the €65,000 National Lottery Agent Champion Chase which looks a good opportunity for Justified to get his season off to a winning start.
Ruby Walsh is a significant booking for Dusty Sheehy's stable star considering that Dermot Weld's Galway specialist Ansar is also in the race with a fine chance on the book and on the ground.
Walsh can also secure the opening juvenile hurdle on El Cerro who came up only a head short of making a winning jumping debut at Tramore.
