Sheikh Mohammed's weekend focus may be on Longchamp and Daylami's attempt on the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe but all the attention on Paris can pay off for local rider Niall McCullagh at the Curragh today.
McCullagh is set to don the Sheikh's maroon and white colours for Earlene in the Group Three CL Weld Park Stakes because of John Murtagh's Longchamp commitments and McCullagh can notch a valued high profile success.
After a promising debut second over an inadequate trip at Leopardstown, Earlene followed up with a smooth three-length defeat of Alluring in a mile conditions race here.
She drops back a furlong today, and is also unlikely to be allowed the run of the race as she was the last time, but Earlene still looks hard to beat. She will act on the ground, holds Alluring and Margay on the book and still looks on the improve. That package looks enough.
John Oxx could also be on the mark in the opening apprentice handicap with the joint topweight Lookout Point who reverts back to her winning trip of a mile after fading in the closing stages at Cork but may be out of luck in the two Listed races on the card and the Cesarewitch.
The top chaser Dorans Pride goes in the latter handicap off a reasonable weight considering his course and distance success last March, but slight preference is for Michael Kinane's mount Laurentia, up 12lbs for a 10-length defeat of Hadeb last time, but who should have no problems with the ground.
Kinane has chosen the 12-length Galway winner Barrier Reef over the other Aidan O'Brien trained runner Plato in the Blenheim Stakes but off just 8.8 it may be worth giving Poco A Poco another chance to get her head in front.
The soft going is not likely to be a problem for her but she was disappointing last time out behind King Street. That, however, was over five furlongs and on the evidence of her length second to Warrior Queen over the course and distance before that Poco A Poco looks well treated here.
The other black type contest is the Mitsubishi Stakes where preference is for the Listowel winner Morning Breeze who at the very least should be the freshest of these.
The Pat Flynn trained filly's length and a half defeat of Kilkenny Castle was her first race since the spring but since her two-year-old days Morning Breeze has looked a runner of some talent, something she can confirm today.
Declan McDonogh takes a valuable 3lbs off of Soorah's back in the six furlong maiden and there should be enough improvement in her to reverse form with Berenica on running behind Inkling. The O'Brien runner Admiral's Cup is by Bluebird and must be respected, while in the five furlong handicap Rolo Tomasi can belatedly get off the mark for the season.
At Down Royal the most interesting runner is likely to be Willyelkra in the handicap hurdle. The John Bowles trained runner passed the post at Listowel eight days ago 12 lengths clear but a matter of ounces below a weight that would have been acceptable when jockey Patrick Stringer weighed in.
He races off a mark of 89 today and such was the impact he made in the Kerry that few will be willing to oppose Willyelkra in the North on this occasion.
Jason Behan could be in for a very good day in the saddle. He can take the seven furlong handicap on Allstars Rocket and the juvenile maiden on the Dermot Weld trained Dowdstown Guess while Go For Grace, runner-up to Trebizond at Listowel is the selection in the Plate race.
