Aidan O'Brien is happy with his Classic squad as the build-up to the Stan James Guineas Festival continues to gather pace ahead of the weekend.
The Ballydoyle maestro plans to have three definite runners in the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket on Saturday - long-time favourite George Washington, Horatio Nelson, Frost Giant - with James Joyce another possibility.
"Kieren (Fallon) will ride George, Mick (Kinane) will be on Horatio Nelson and Johnny (Murtagh) will ride Frost Giant, while James Joyce is also a possible contender," said O'Brien.
"The Guineas horses seem in good form and I am happy with them and am hoping they will run well."
George Washington is the general 7 to 4 market leader after landing two Group One races as a juvenile, while Horatio Nelson is a 6 to 1 shot after just failing to peg back fellow rival Sir Percy in the Dewhurst Stakes last October. O'Brien also hopes to have two runners in the following day's 1,000 Guineas, with ante-post favourite Rumplestiltskin and Race For The Stars set to represent the Coolmore operation.
"They will both probably run and are in good form. I am happy with how far forward Rumplestiltskin is but it is her first run of the season and I am hoping she runs a good race," he added.
The trainer added: "We thought the colts were slow to come to hand compared to the fillies and that is the way it is working out.
"However, everything has been geared to the first weekend in May and that is when I want them to peak so I hope they run well."
Ladbrokes St Leger winner Scorpion is unlikely to make his seasonal bow in the StanJamesUK.com Jockey Club Stakes on Sunday. O'Brien's four-year-old has not been seen since finishing down the field in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe last October but was one of 12 confirmed for the Group Two race at headquarters at the five-day stage.
However, O'Brien said: "He probably won't run and we will wait for either the Tattersalls Gold Cup or the Coronation Cup with him. He could run over a mile and a quarter or a mile and a half this season, we will just have to see how he gets on.
"He worked at half-speed over a mile and a quarter at the Curragh after racing yesterday and it went well. He could be an exciting horse this year."
O'Brien also confirmed plans to run last year's Coronation Cup winner Yeats over longer distances this term, although the five-year-old is unlikely to be seen in the Yorkshire Cup at the Dante meeting in two weeks' time.
"He might not be ready for that but he will run in the Cup races this summer," said O'Brien.
Fire And Rain, an impressive winner of his sole start in a Newmarket maiden last September, could have his first run of 2006 at Leopardstown on Sunday week.
The colt is a general 25 to 1 chance for the Vodafone Derby and may run in the same recognised trial as O'Brien's Epsom winners High Chaparral and Galileo, the sire of Fire And Rain.
"We will look at the Derrinstown Derby Trial for him but that is only a possible at this stage," added O'Brien.
Meanwhile, Horse Racing Ireland chief executive Brian Kavanagh is hoping for a successful Flat campaign following a record-breaking National Hunt season for the Emerald Isle.
O'Brien, Dermot Weld and John Oxx were on hand yesterday to help launch the Irish summer Flat racing programme in Dublin, which was hosted by HRI.
"If last year is anything to go by our Flat racing contenders will also have great success at home and abroad," said Kavanagh.
