River Tiber and Opera Singer set to spearhead Ballydoyle assault on Irish Classics next weekend

River Tiber and Opera Singer will spearhead Ballydoyle's team for the first two Irish Classics of the season, with trainer Aidan O'Brien reporting both on track for the Irish Guineas meeting at the Curragh this weekend.

O'Brien saddled his 12th winner of the Irish 2,000 Guineas last season when Paddington landed the first of four Group 1s, while he has claimed the Irish 1,000 Guineas ten times, with the last being Empress Josephine in 2021, who gave Ballydoyle a third victory in a row in the contest.

Last season's Coventry Stakes winner River Tiber is set to lead the Ballydoyle challenge for the Tattersalls-sponsored colts' Classic on Saturday. The son of Wootton Bassett won the first three starts of his two-year-old campaign before being beaten two lengths into third by Vandeek in the Prix Morny at Deauville. He finished off the season when filling the same spot behind that rival in the Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket.

He will be stepping up to a mile for the first time, having never raced beyond six furlongs as a juvenile. Stablemates Unquestionable and Mountain Bear, last seen finishing first and second in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Santa Anita in November, are also in contention.

O'Brien said on Sunday: "River Tiber and Unquestionable are probably the main two colts for the 2,000 Guineas. Mountain Bear might run. He's only starting back but we need to get runs into them before Ascot. River Tiber is probably the most forward of the three."

Opera Singer: Prix Marcel Boussac winner has recovered from setbackCredit: Edward Whitaker

Opera Singer was last seen storming five lengths clear in the Group 1 Prix Marcel Boussac at Longchamp in October. She was scheduled to return at Newmarket before meeting with a setback but she has recovered and is an intended runner in Sunday's Tattersalls Irish 1,000 Guineas.

Buttons, who finished runner-up in the Group 3 Mutamakina Stakes at Leopardstown, could join her, while Everlasting is set to be supplemented after her third-placed finish behind Ezeliya in the Salsabil Stakes last month. Last season's Cheveley Park runner-up Pearls And Rubies is another possible.

"At the moment, for the 1,000 Guineas, we might send Buttons and Everlasting along with Opera Singer," said O'Brien. "That could be it, or we could start Pearls And Rubies there as well.

"The ones that haven't raced yet this season will improve for the run. Hopefully the ground will be nice and we're looking forward to it."

O'Brien added that last season's dual Derby winner Auguste Rodin will line up in the Tattersalls Gold Cup on Sunday.

"That's the plan," said the trainer. "We're very happy with Auguste Rodin and everything seems good with him at home. We might run another of ours in it to make it an even pace."

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