Kevin Ryan has the chance to notch the second Classic victory of his training career when Hi Royal goes for the Tattersalls Irish 2,000 Guineas at the Curragh on Saturday.

The North Yorkshire-based handler saddled The Grey Gatsby to win the Prix du Jockey Club in 2014 and in Hi Royal he has one of the market principals for the colts’ mile Classic.

The son of Kodiac defied odds of 125-1 to pick up a silver medal in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket and although the result caused some surprise among connections, hopes are high that he will prove his Rowley Mile performance was not a one-off.

“Of course we were surprised. We were hoping he’d run well, but we never expected him to go that close,” said Bruce Raymond, racing manager for Hi Royal’s owner, Jaber Abdullah.

“I don’t know if it was the soft ground, the fact he got his own way or what, but the form is pretty solid and he did it the hard way.

“Hopefully he should have a chance on Saturday, he should be one of the favourites I would imagine. We’re going there with a good shout, certainly a better shout than he had at Newmarket.

“He’s a strong, powerful colt and you would imagine that he should be all the better for that run.

“His pedigree suggests he’s a miler, but I think he’d stay 10 furlongs later in the year.

“It’s a stiff mile at the Curragh but a different test to Newmarket where you have to handle the undulations more than ever now, so much so that it’s now become a front-runners’ track. You don’t see many come from last now – a few years ago all you had to worry about was the dip, now you have to keep them balanced and keep up at the same time.

“We’re hopeful, but if it rains I’d be happier. It never gets too fast over there, though.”

A place behind Hi Royal at Newmarket was Paul and Oliver Cole’s Royal Scotsman, a high-class two-year-old last season who proved he would be a force once again this term on his return in top-table company.

Keenness dented his chances of truly lasting home over a mile at Newmarket, but he is given another crack at Classic honours having been supplemented into this race earlier in the week.

“He’s in great form, he left for Ireland on Thursday night and arrived Friday morning and has eaten up, so we couldn’t be happier with him,” said Oliver Cole.

“To do what he did at Newmarket, to be keen and pull for four furlongs and then finish shows he’s pretty good.

“He broke the track record in the Richmond at Goodwood and he was in the second fastest ever Dewhurst – his sectionals were amazing after the first furlong in the Dewhurst. He is a very, very good horse, everything just needs to go right for him. We like to think we have a live contender.”

Further UK representation is provided by Roger Varian’s Charyn and the Charlie Hills-trained Galeron, who outran odds of 150-1 to finish fourth at Newmarket and has a Curragh victory already on his CV.

“It was a really good effort at Newmarket, he just got a little bit far back,” said Hills, who won the race with Phoenix Of Spain in 2019.

“He was awkward away and it was a bit rough coming out of the gates, so he wasn’t really in the position we wanted to be but he still ran great. We were delighted with him.

“He has come out of Newmarket really well. Kieran (Shoemark) came and sat on him last week and was happy with him. Unfortunately he can’t ride him, but we’re really happy to have Colin (Keane) aboard him – he knows the Curragh pretty well.

“It’s great that Galeron has been to the Curragh before and won there. Having a bit of course experience and liking the track is going to suit him well.”

Aidan O’Brien is the race’s leading trainer having won it 11 times and is well represented as he seeks a first triumph in six years.

Stable jockey Ryan Moore has elected to ride Tetrarch Stakes scorer Paddington, while Cairo and Age Of Kings will also go to post for the Ballydoyle operation.

O’Brien said: “We’re very happy with Paddington, he won the Tetrarch nicely. We’re looking forward to him, it’s his first step up to Group One company.

“We’re very happy with Cairo as well.”

The home challenge is strengthened by Donnacha O’Brien’s Proud And Regal, who drops back in trip to a mile having finished third on his return in the Derby Trial at Leopardstown.

Although it may have been assumed the Galileo colt would be heading up in trip in search of Classic success following his reappearance, he is a Group One winner at this distance and his handler has no worries about the return to a mile.

“He’s in good form and everything has gone smooth since his run at Leopardstown,” said O’Brien.

“He’s going back in trip but he has good form at this distance – he has won a Group One at this trip – so we’re hopeful he will run a good race.”

Jessica Harrington saddles two in the race with Quar Shamar seeing the form of his Dundalk win boosted recently by the runner-up, while stablemate Bold Discovery has twice placed at Group Three level.

Luke Comer’s Alexander John completes the field of 11.

Manchester City’s third-choice goalkeeper Scott Carson has signed a new 12-month contract, the Premier League champions have announced.

The 37-year-old former England international has made just two first-team appearances since joining City, initially on loan, in 2019 but has been an important part of manager Pep Guardiola’s squad.

“I’m excited to be staying at City,” Carson told the club’s website, www.mancity.com. “I love working with Pep, (coach) Xabi Mancisidor and our incredible players every day.

“Hopefully I can help all of our goalkeepers be at their best.”

Guardiola said: “We have him in the locker room and you cannot believe the impact.”

Ruben Selles is disappointed not to have been kept on as Southampton manager as he feels ready to lead the side despite overseeing their meek relegation.

A myriad of bad decisions on and off the field has brought Saints’ 11-year stay in the Premier League to a crushing end.

Ralph Hasenhuttl started the season in charge and was replaced by divisive Nathan Jones, with an initial upturn under Selles quickly flatlining after being handed the job for the rest of the campaign.

Saints were relegated with two games to spare and the club announced on Wednesday that the Spaniard’s contract “will not be renewed when it expires at the end of the season”.

Selles found that out on Monday and will take charge for the final time against Liverpool on Sunday, with Russell Martin then set to come in as Southampton prepare for life in the Championship.

“Listen, I did as much as I can, I show here every weekend with you, I make the team being competitive,” he said.

“We didn’t get the football, the results that we expected to have.

“I think you saw an identity, you saw a team that wants to play together. We didn’t make it.

“I tried to put everything every time with this sort of mentality and in that part I did my best and that’s the reality. I cannot change the decision from the owners.

“I still think I’m ready but it’s not my call and, yeah, my feeling right now is just to finish in the best way possible, to prepare the Liverpool game.

“And then on Monday, we will think about something different.”

Selles joined Saints from Copenhagen last summer as first-team lead coach supporting Hasenhuttl having enjoyed a varied coaching career that had taken him from Spain to the likes of Russia and Azerbaijan.

But now the 39-year-old sees himself in England and hopes to be able to stay coaching there at a high level.

“Of course, I would like to stay here and I would like to stay in the top level that I can stay,” Selles said. “If it’s not Premier League, it’s very close to that.

“My target has been always to be competing against the best and with the best.

“That’s what I have been doing in the last three months and I want to be here back and I want to find myself back as quick as possible.”

As Selles’ time at St Mary’s comes to a close on Sunday, attention turns to the new era under impending appointment of Martin.

The PA news agency understands the Swansea boss is poised to become Southampton head coach on a three-year deal.

“I just make my opinion of all of them as a squad, as individual players,” Selles said of the squad Martin will inherit.

“I don’t know who is the new coach. You maybe probably know that better than me but, actually, it’s not for me.

“I just told the club what I think. I told before this week what I think is what we need to do to rebuild the squad for the Championship or for the Premier League in that time if we stay.

“So, they know my opinion, but they can do with that what they want.”

George Boughey has confirmed Asadna firmly on course for the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot next month following his sensational debut victory at Ripon last weekend.

A 160,000 guineas purchase from the Tattersalls Craven Breeze-Up Sale, the Mehmas colt put his rivals to the sword in North Yorkshire to record a remarkable 12-length success.

While trainer George Boughey was hoping his youngster would run with credit on his introduction, the Newmarket handler admits even he was taken aback by the nature of his performance.

He said: “Asadna was great on Sunday. It was a little bit unexpected, but his work’s been good since he came from the Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up. We hoped that he might go close, but to go and put his head down and stride away like that was impressive.

“Even watching him, I felt he got a little bit lost as they started to quicken and he’s a six-furlong horse. Ascot is tailor-made for him. I think the way he does quicken on fast ground and is able to relax, you can put him anywhere in the race.

“He is right towards the top end of the market in the Coventry and we’ll obviously now head to Royal Ascot in search of a £125,000 Tattersalls Craven Royal Ascot Breeze Up Bonus.

“He’s got a very good mind – he just eats, sleeps and trains. I’m slightly worried half the time because he’s lying down, he’s a very relaxed horse.”

Another Tattersalls purchase for whom Boughey holds Royal Ascot aspirations is Soprano, who impressed on her racecourse bow at Newmarket and is being targeted at the Group Two Albany Stakes.

The daughter of Starspangledbanner was bought for 100,000 guineas on behalf of owners Highclere Thoroughbred Racing, for whom Boughey trained Cachet to win last year’s 1000 Guineas.

Boughey added: “Soprano was very impressive on debut, and it didn’t really come as a huge surprise. She’d been showing up well at home and she’d done plenty of work through the dip at Newmarket.

“We wanted to start over five furlongs because it gave us a bit more time to let her have a bit of downtime before bringing her back up to try to have a tilt at the Albany Stakes.

“She’s a very straightforward filly and one we’ve got high hopes for through the summer and into the backend of the year.”

Michael Beale bid “good riddance” to Rangers’ trophy-less season as he looked forward to a summer reset before a stiffer challenge to champions Celtic.

Beale took over as Gers boss from Giovanni van Bronckhorst in November but was unable to halt the Hoops’ march to the title and they will look to clinch the domestic treble when they take on Championship side Inverness at Hampden Park on June 3.

The former Rangers assistant coach, whose side lost the Viaplay Cup final to Celtic and will be runners-up in the league, has started his squad rebuild with the addition of Norwich midfielder Kieran Dowell on a pre-contract and revealed “there are three of four things we know are there.”

Ahead of the final game of the season on Saturday against St Mirren in Paisley, Beale said: “This season is done after tomorrow. Good riddance to this season and we will come back next season and we will give it a right good go.

“I am really excited about pre-season. It is not the easiest thing to do, come into a club in the middle of the season when part of the season has been written. I am glad the summer is upon us.

“I am relishing everything being re-set and giving ourselves an opportunity to have a really strong pre-season, some new players coming in, bringing new energy and enable me to really fully imprint my ideas on the team.

“I am looking forward to a full pre-season, everything being re-set, the league being re-set to zero, and a lot of optimism around what we can achieve.”

Asked if he was confident of giving Celtic a much stronger challenge next season after he builds his new squad, the former QPR boss said: “I am. Otherwise I wouldn’t be sat here.

“My excitement for this summer is because I see the work we are doing in the background.

“We are very close to what I want and if I get that in I will be very pleased and we  will have a very strong pre-season, implement some new things and we will come out of it a much stronger team.

“I think the team will be in an immensely much better place than the team I inherited for sure, because it was different to the team I had left a year before.”

Stephen Robinson insists St Mirren have “massively over-achieved” this season despite a difficult end to their cinch Premiership campaign.

The Buddies made it into the top six for the first time under the current league set-up but the post-split fixtures have proved problematic.

The Paisley side have lost four and drawn two of their last six games with hopes of European football slipping away with a 3-0 defeat by Aberdeen at Pittodrie on Wednesday night.

However, speaking ahead of the final game of the season at home to Rangers on Saturday lunchtime, Robinson stressed that his squad deserve to be judged over the whole campaign and appreciated for their achievement.

The Northern Irishman said:  “This group of players have massively over-achieved from where people thought we would be.

“That needs recognised. It has to be recognised and we want Saturday to be about celebrating that.

“These boys have created history for St Mirren. We don’t want that to be forgotten, we want a full house at the end of the game to say thank you to the fans for their support but also for the fans to show their appreciation for what this group of boys and staff have done for the club this year.

“It has been a terrific season. We must not forget that.

“I think the season has caught up with us in the last five games in terms of depth of squad.

“We have had horrendous injuries up front with Curtis Main being our only fit striker although he is not actually fully fit.

“We have completed phase one of what we started out to do, in reality, probably a year before we envisaged it we got into the top six.

“The challenge is to strengthen, can we get the four or five players that will make us stronger and try to challenge for the top six again.

“That’s the hard bit, to go and do it again.”

Lewis Hamilton was third in opening practice at the Monaco Grand Prix which ended early after Alex Albon crashed out.

Hamilton, armed with a major Mercedes upgrade, finished the first running in Monte Carlo behind only Carlos Sainz, who topped the order for Ferrari, and Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso.

Hamilton was ahead of both Red Bulls – with Sergio Perez fourth and world champion Max Verstappen, who complained on multiple occasions about the handling of his Red Bull, sixth. The Ferrari of Charles Leclerc split the Red Bull pair.

The red flags were deployed in the closing minutes when Albon lost control of his Williams through the opening Sainte Devote corner.

The London-born Thai slammed into the wall, but, despite admitting to banging his knees, he emerged relatively unscathed from the 100mph accident.

The same could however, not be said for Albon’s Williams following significant damage to the left-hand side of his machine.

After giving up on this season’s car on the eve of the opening race, Mercedes have arrived for the sixth round of the season in the sun-cooked principality with a new concept.

The Silver Arrows have abandoned their controversial zero-sidepod design, and introduced a new front suspension, new floor and cooling system in a change of development on a car which has contributed to the longest losing streak of Hamilton’s career.

On Sunday, it will be 539 days since Hamilton last stood on the top step of the podium at the penultimate round of the contentious 2021 season in Saudi Arabia.

And although Hamilton ended the opening running 0.663 sec behind Sainz, the seven-time world champion and his Mercedes team might take confidence from finishing ahead of both Red Bull drivers.

Verstappen and team-mate Perez are the only men to have won a race this year, but their rapid Red Bull is not necessarily suited to the narrow and slow-speed confines of the unique Monte Carlo configuration.

Sainz lapped a third of a second quicker than Alonso, with Verstappen 0.872 sec off the pace. Hamilton’s team-mate George Russell was only 15th, 1.6 sec back.

Elsewhere, Lando Norris finished seventh for McLaren as Nico Hulkenberg completed the fewest laps after he spun his Haas at the chicane on the exit of the tunnel.

Second practice gets under way at 1700 local time (1600 UK).

Roy Hodgson insisted he expects to be taking charge of Crystal Palace for the final time in Sunday’s Premier League season-ender at home to Nottingham Forest, but did not rule out staying on.

Hodgson took the reins at his boyhood club for the second time on a short-term contract after the sacking of Patrick Vieira, and has taken 17 points from nine games to steer Palace well clear of relegation trouble.

Such has been the turnaround in form that Hodgson has been seen as a candidate to take the job on a longer-term basis, but the 75-year-old said that was not on his mind.

“As far as I’m concerned, this is my last game,” Hodgson said. “I signed a contract here until the end of the season and I was grateful to do so. All along, I have seen this as my last game on my contract and as far as I’m concerned that’s what it is.”

When asked if he would be open to staying on if asked by chairman Steve Parish, Hodgson added: “I don’t know, I’ll wait until that day arrives if it ever arrives. At the moment I don’t have to concern myself with that.

“What’s on my table is to see my contract out, thank everyone for the last two and a half months and hopefully help the team get a result…I hope to leave all my options open.”

Hodgson confirmed that Wilfried Zaha – out of contract this summer – will miss Sunday’s match through injury, raising the possibility that the in-demand forward has played his final game for the club.

“Wilfried’s injury was sufficiently severe to keep him out of the next game,” Hodgson said. “He’ll need a week or two more to recover, so it won’t keep him out of next season. He will be fit for pre-season, but we won’t have the benefit of him on Sunday.”

Palace forward Ebere Eze has been celebrating his first international call up after being included in Gareth Southgate’s England squad to face Malta and North Macedonia next month, and former Three Lions boss Hodgson has offered the 24-year-old some pointers.

“The advice basically, after the congratulations – because as you say I am delighted for him and I’m happy Gareth (Southgate) and Steve (Holland) have seen what we have seen in him as well – but the only advice I can give him is to be himself,” he said.

“Go there and be relaxed enough to show how good he is. Show how good he is in training when he is here. If he does that, Gareth and Steve will be more than happy with him.”

The pressure will be off for both sides in Sunday’s match at Selhurst Park, with Forest’s victory over Arsenal last weekend having ended the threat of relegation at the end of their first season back in the top flight.

“[Cooper] has done a very good job,” Hodgson said. “In particular I think the last five games they have had an incredible upsurge in form. They have taken 10 points from their last five games. That’s top of table form not avoiding relegation form.

“They have taken everyone by surprise at the bottom who are fighting relegation, because many clubs thought they wouldn’t do that well. Hats off to him, hats off to his players and staff. It was very touching last weekend when they beat Arsenal and you saw the scenes after the game.

“It makes you realise how much staying in this league and doing well means to everyone, not just to your staff and people at the club but also to the fans.”

Stormers head coach John Dobson has hailed Munster’s “phenomenal” run to the United Rugby Championship final ahead of Saturday’s clash in Cape Town.

While the Stormers are chasing back-to-back URC titles, Munster have not won a major trophy for 12 years.

But Graham Rowntree’s team – beaten finalists in 2015, 2017 and 2021 – have shown their quality through some outstanding late-season form.

And their sequence of impressive results includes a 26-24 away victory over the Stormers last month.

“They came here and ended our unbeaten record, then they go to the Sharks (in Durban) – a fully-loaded Sharks – and draw.

“They go to Scotstoun in Glasgow, who haven’t lost there in the whole season, they win in Glasgow and they then go and win in Leinster. That is phenomenal.

“Graham Rowntree is obviously a very bright coach. He has done an exceptional job with Munster. He is a really nice guy, a true rugby guy, and what they have done lately is remarkable.”

Rowntree has made three changes from the side that defeated semi-final opponents Leinster, with centre Malakai Fekitoa, scrum-half Conor Murray and wing Calvin Nash all returning after completing return-to-play protocols following the quarter-finals.

Assessing the challenge, Rowntree said: “Looking at how we broke them down (in April) and dealt with their power game will help, but they will be better than that night.

“They will be battle-hardened themselves, so it will be a real challenge for us.

“But we are in a final, we back the work we’ve done, we back our fitness. There is loads to improve on in our game.”

South Africa internationals Deon Fourie and Marvin Orie return to the Stormers line-up after recovering from injury for what will be a sold-out encounter at DHL Stadium.

Dobson added: “It is an incredible feeling for us to make the Grand Final again – it is quite emotional.

“We have a lot of respect for Munster – the truth is that we have never beaten them – so while we are thrilled to be playing at home, we know it will be a big challenge against a good team.

“It should be an amazing occasion for the team, our passionate supporters and the city of Cape Town.”

Erik ten Hag says Jadon Sancho’s progress and potential is one of the reasons Manchester United have a “good base” to kick on from next season.

The 23-year-old arrived at Old Trafford from Borussia Dortmund in 2021 in a £73million deal following a prolonged pursuit.

Sancho has shown flashes of his outstanding talent but has yet to fully live up to the billing, with the United winger falling out of the England reckoning as a result.

Ten Hag has worked carefully with Sancho, who went on an individual winter fitness programme in the Netherlands rather than travel to the squad’s World Cup camp in Spain.

Back then the patient United boss said the player was “not in the right status or fitness state”, but he has since made strides and the Dutchman expects even more from him.

“He did very well on the right side and I think he played a very good game,” Ten Hag said after Thursday’s 4-1 defeat of Chelsea.

“I think Jadon Sancho is one of the players who made progress in the season and there were many players in our squad who made good progress. I think it’s a good base to build further on.”

Asked if he preferred Sancho on the right or left, Ten Hag said: “He can do both.

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“I think he prefers to play on the left, but we have seen today he is very good on the right as well.”

United’s win against Chelsea sealed qualification for next season’s Champions League with a game to spare.

Ten Hag immediately underlined that summer signings are needed, but also stressed there is far more to come from the likes of Sancho.

“Still, we can also improve with this squad, as we did this season,” the United boss said.

“I said (signings) is one part of it. The other thing is progress in the current squad and the current players.

“That is the job that I have to do, in togetherness with that squad and with my coaching staff.

“As (of) now, I think we make huge progress during the season. The team, many individuals play a fantastic, great season.

“Now we have a good base but, as I just mentioned, I think there is still a lot of room for improvement also in this squad.

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“But then when you get the right players in, that will help and even give you more depth and a better standard and level.

“Then you have more chance to be in the top four and then it gives you more chance to win titles and trophies.”

United have already won the Carabao Cup this season and return to Wembley to face Manchester City in a mouth-watering FA Cup final on June 3.

But first comes the Premier League season finale against Fulham – the last home match before long-serving David De Gea’s contract expires.

Both parties have spoken positively about agreeing new terms but talks have dragged on, although Ten Hag downplayed the suggestion Sunday could be the goalkeeper’s last Old Trafford appearance.

“I think we want him to stay and he wants to stay, so I think we will find each other,” he said of the Premier League Golden Glove winner, who joined United from Atletico Madrid in 2011.

“I never will give a comment about that, about how negotiations are going.”

Ex-Manchester United winger Nani believes the "emotional" power of the Champions League is something that cannot be explained.

Manchester City and Inter will meet at Istanbul's Ataturk Olympic Stadium next month, with the Premier League club chasing a potential treble in Turkey.

It marks the second final for Pep Guardiola's team after their 2021 loss to Chelsea, while Inter will feature in a Champions League final for the first time since they won the competition in 2010.

Nani, who now plays for Melbourne Victory in the A-League, reached three finals between 2008 and 2011 with United, and describes the showpiece game as an indescribable event.

"It's true, you get emotional," he said in an interview with the Go Turkiye YouTube Channel. "It's something you can't explain.

"When I heard the [Champions League] music, I used to sing at the same time. The experience on the field is amazing, it makes you nervous, it makes you anxious for the start of the game.

"But playing in the final is something else. It is something that any player wants to experience. I've been lucky in my career to have been able to play in three finals. I was lucky enough to win one of them.

"That feeling is amazing. For a player to explain, it is difficult.

"It is a lot of pressure. On a stage where you're playing against so many stars, I was very nervous but in the end everything went well.

"When you win the game, you just think about celebrating with your team-mates, with your family, and with the people who love you."

Asked if any of his former team-mates stood out for their dedication to European question, Nani picked out ex-United team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo, who won his first Champions League title with the club in 2008.

"He's been the best player everywhere he's been," he added. "Ronaldo was amazing. In the Champions League. He always treated those matches differently.

"His preparation and concentration for these matches was completely different from league games. [But] I had a lot of players I enjoyed playing with.

"[Take] Paul Scholes, Wayne Rooney, Rio Ferdinand, and Patrice Evra. All of these players had an elite mentality when it came to the Champions League. It was very special."

Fenerbahce forward Michy Batshuayi, meanwhile, pointed to one of his former Chelsea team-mates.

"For me, it was Eden Hazard," Batshuayi said.

"What I liked about him was how relaxed he was, for him, the game was very simple, and because of this, he found it very easy to beat the opponent.

"I love that mentality, it doesn’t put pressure on the player. I have many other players like [Cesc] Fabregas, David Luiz and John Terry."

Manchester City were crowned champions for the third successive year in a Premier League campaign temporarily halted to accommodate a winter World Cup.

Here, the PA news agency picks out some of the best images from an unprecedented top-flight season ahead of its conclusion on Sunday.

Touchline tensionThe beginning of the endForest fanfareSeason of struggleTouching tributesTeenage dreamHat-trick heroesCheer up, Stevie GRemembering greatnessOfficial recordWorld Cup winnerDerby dramaKane is ableShort spell for PotterGunning for gloryAnfield annihilationBig moment for BrooksRoyally frustratedIvan the incredibleMo-ment to forgetOut of line?Eze does itHeading for the drop?Alive and kickingBoehly gets the BluesHowling with laughterFrank assessmentSix for sorrowHammering home the pointHaaland makes historyGod Save the KingKing protestMarching down together?Saints to sinnersMitro’s on fireThat’s Gunner hurtSeagulls soarChampionsCity slickersSteady Eddie

Harry Eustace’s Alaroos has a shot at gaining black type in the William Hill Bronte Cup Fillies’ Stakes at York on Saturday.

The Shadwell-owned four-year-old, who is by Golden Horn, made her first start for the stable in the Daisy Warwick Fillies’ Stakes at Goodwood earlier in the month.

She was seventh in that Listed contest in a run her trainer found slightly disappointing, but she will step up both in trip and in grade in a Group Three event over a mile and six furlongs on the Knavesmire.

Eustace said: “She seems to have come on for Goodwood. We were a little bit underwhelmed, I suppose, there – I thought she’d run a little bit better. But I think a mixture of tempo and the trip on the track just found her out a little bit.

“And we’re hopeful that a mile-six at York will bring out her best attributes.

“The plan, her having been sent to me, was to try to get black type this year, so that’s what we’re looking for. It seemed a good opportunity. I think she’ll like the better ground.

“We’ve a couple of Golden Horns at home and they like quicker ground. So, we’re hopeful that she’ll handle it well.”

Eustace is keen produce some success for Shadwell as this is the first year the leading owner-breeder has sent horses into training with him.

He said: “It would be fantastic. Obviously it was a big boost to the yard to pick up such a great owner. The two-year-olds are just beginning to come along now and if there could be a nice one in there, it would be a real boost.”

The likely market leader is John and Thady Gosden’s Mimikyu, a Dubawi filly who landed the Park Hill at Doncaster last term before finishing down the field in the British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes at Ascot in the autumn.

Her stablemate One Evening takes her chance along with Ralph Beckett’s River Of Stars, fifth in the Park Hill, and William Haggas’ lightly-raced Sea Flawless.

Jim Goldie’s Wickywickywheels, the Roger Varian-trained Voodoo Queen, Donnacha O’Brien’s Moon Daisy and Typewriter for Andrew Balding complete the field.