Fancies at 40-1, 14-1 and more: our picks for the Irish 1,000 and 2,000 Guineas

The first Classics of the Irish Flat season takes place at the Curragh this weekend with the Irish 2,000 Guineas (3.20 Saturday) and 1,000 Guineas (3.45 Sunday). Native Trail, who finished second in the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket less than three weeks ago, is a strong ante-post favourite to make amends on Saturday, while top fillies Homeless Songs and Tuesday head a strong field on Sunday, but who do our experts fancy?

Atomic Jones

By Owen Goulding, reporter

Odds: 40-1 with Paddy Power and Betfair, 33-1 generally for the Irish 2,000 Guineas

Unbeaten in two starts as a juvenile, I still believe that Atomic Jones has a big future for Ger Lyons. The form of his debut win at the Curragh has plenty of substance but his second run, where he defeated Stone Age in a Leopardstown Group 2, is the effort to focus on.

Despite missing the break, he made eyecatching headway in the straight and picked off Derby hope Stone Age in the dying strides, showing a good attitude in doing so. He was unable to confirm that form on return at the same venue, but he endured a troubled passage and was the only horse in the field without a prior run.

He still retains a huge amount of potential and with plenty of pace to chase, I can see him reaching the frame. Odds of 40-1 are more than generous.

Native Trail

By Mark Brown, Raceform analyst

Odds: 1-3 generally for the Irish 2,000 Guineas

There is no point in trying to be clever here. Red-hot favourite Native Trail is the clear pick on form, even before his Newmarket second to equally top-class stablemate Coroebus in the 2,000 Guineas, and he also boasts an impressive Group 1 win at this track as a two-year-old in the National Stakes.

Trainer Charlie Appleby has a monopoly on the colts Classic division over a mile and this fella ought to secure the Newmarket trainer an impressive English, French and Irish 2,000 treble.

Agartha

By Mark Boylan, reporter

Odds: 14-1 generally for the Irish 1,000 Guineas

Given that Joseph O'Brien has pinpointed this race from a long way out as Agartha's early-season target, it wouldn't be any surprise if we see an improved display from what she's shown in finishing second in two trials this term.

Only a length separated her and Sunday's big-race favourite Homeless Songs at Leopardstown last month, and Agartha was conceding 3lb on that occasion.

She also got within three quarters of a length of leading Classic hope History when trying to give away the same weight a fortnight ago.

Provided the Curragh isn't hit with too much rain over the coming days, she looks overpriced from an each-way perspective at 14-1 given her solid juvenile form of last season, including when second in the Group 1 Moyglare Stakes ahead of Concert Hall, Homeless Songs and Cairde Go Deo.

Mise En Scene

By Charlie Huggins, reporter

Odds: 8-1 generally for the Irish 1,000 Guineas

James Ferguson reported Mise En Scene to be in great nick on Tuesday and I think 8-1 is too big a price for a filly who finished just behind 1,000 Guineas one-two Cachet and Prosperous Voyage in the Fillies’ Mile on her first attempt at the trip last season.

Mise En Scene: Classic contender for James Ferguson (right)Credit: Edward Whitaker

Mise En Scene also had the latter in behind her when winning a Goodwood Group 3 last term so has proved her class, and with Cachet running well again last week at Longchamp, the form has an even stronger look to it.

Mise En Scene won on her debut and off the back of a break in her two-year-old year so the fact it is her seasonal reappearance should not be a problem.

Concert Hall

By Mark Brown, Raceform analyst

Odds: 14-1 with Betfair, 9-1 generally for the Irish 1,000 Guineas

It's almost certain that Concert Hall won't be the first string, that honour likely falling to either Tuesday or History, but she's just the sort Aidan O'Brien will spring a minor surprise with in securing his fourth consecutive win in the race, if given the go ahead to run.

The daughter of Dubawi's reappearance win over 1m2f at Navan couldn't have worked out any better, with the third and fourth impressive winners at Listed and Group 3 level respectively since, and she boasts plenty of classy juvenile form at this track to her name.

It's possible she'll sidestep this, but if turning up it could be worth taking the hint.

Irish 2,000 Guineas (3.20 Curragh, Saturday)

Paddy Power: 2-5 Native Trail, 3 Buckaroo, 8 Ivy League, 20 Wexford Native, 25 Malex, Duke De Sessa, The Acropolis, 40 Atomic Jones, New Energy, 50 Imperial Fighter, Boundless Ocean

Irish 1,000 Guineas (3.45 Curragh, Sunday)

William Hill: 5-2 Tuesday, 3 Homeless Songs, 5 History, 7 Mise En Scene, 10 Concert Hall, 12 Hermana Estrella, 14 Wild Beauty, Purplepay, Agartha, Star Girls Aalmal, 16 bar

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