Dylan Thomas is likely to start a hot favourite to regain the Group One-winning thread when he travels to France for tomorrow's Prix Ganay at Longchamp.
Aidan O'Brien's Budweiser Irish Derby and Irish Champion Stakes winner will face seven local opponents in the 10-and-a-half furlong contest where he will be ridden by the French champion jockey, Christophe Soumillon.
Dylan Thomas wound up last season with a lacklustre effort in the Jockey Club Gold Cup on dirt at Belmont Park but returned to action in style a fortnight ago at the Curragh with a success in the Mooresbridge Stakes.
Seamus Heffernan rode him on that occasion but Soumillon takes over on his local course and will be hoping to continue his good start to the year which included a Group Two victory for O'Brien at Longchamp with Soldier Of Fortune earlier in the month.
Dylan Thomas's opposition includes the first three from the Prix d'Harcourt on the course with Boris De Deauville hoping to confirm that running with Pearl Sky and the Arc fifth Irish Wells.
However, a combination of the O'Brien star and Soumillon is likely to be irresistible to French punters.
There will be a significant cross-code Irish presence at Sandown today with the Ted Walsh-trained Jack High, attempting to repeat his 2005 triumph in the Betfred Gold Cup, and David Wachman sending Chariots Of Fire for the Group Three Classic Trial.
Chariots Of Fire won his sole start to date at Cork by a short head but Wayne Lordan's mount will have his followers in a race that also contains the highly regarded Regime and the race-fit Celestial Halo who won by 13 lengths at Newcastle last time.
Wachman landed this race, won by Derby heroes like Shergar and Shahrastani in the past, with Fracas in 2005.
Pat Hughes and Roger Loughran can successfully kick off the 2007-'08 Irish National Hunt season at Punchestown today where Virginia Woolf can overcome inexperience to land the opening event, the Evening Racemeeting In May Novice Hurdle.
The ex-John Oxx trained mare was an odds-on winner at Cork on just her second start over jumps but she is battle-hardened from the flat and significantly she had sufficient stamina to win over two miles on the level so this three miles could suit her well.
