Irish reporter Justin O'Hanlon selects his Tote Ten To Follow for the Flat season

From an Irish perspective, there is some talent to go around this year, although most of it does seem to dwell in the middle-distance to staying division, with the usual stables well represented.

The sprinting division has not been a strong suit for Irish-trained horses for some time but that may change with Amo Racing's Group 1-winning three-year-old Bucanero Fuerte. The impressive winner of last year's Phoenix Stakes started off the season well by landing a Group 3 contest at Naas and looks sure to improve for the run. Races like the Commonwealth Cup and July Cup will be firmly on his radar and he could well drop back to five furlongs without an issue.

The Willie McCreery-trained filly Vespertilio was unlucky not to win the French 1,000 Guineas, and while a mile will be her primary trip, she could also have the scope to drop back in distance. 

Potentially top three-year-old filly Opera Singer has to prove that she has trained on, but such was her progression last season that she should be a big factor in the principal mile races with the option of going up in trip.

Duke of Cambridge winner and Matron Stakes runner-up Rogue Millenium is now in the care of Joseph O'Brien, and she looks likely to be campaigned at a mile this season to good effect. The stable will also be looking for some better luck this season with 2022 National Stakes winner Al Riffa, who started the year with a very encouraging effort in the Prix Ganay at Longchamp.

Auguste Rodin has to bounce back from a bad run at Meydan in March, but last year's dual Derby and Breeders' Cup Turf winner has done it before and will be a major player in all of the top 1m2f to 1m4f races this year. Stablemate Ylang Ylang is probably the one to beat in the Oaks and further Group 1 glory could follow. 

Dermot Weld has got some good ammunition for the summer too. Salsabil Stakes winner Ezeliya is a genuine Oaks contender and could have a big day or two in her later in the season, while Listed winner Harbour Wind is an exciting young stayer that could still be anything.

Among the stayers though, Kyprios cannot have a candle held to him and his start to the year suggests he could be on course to repeat his 2022 campaign which yielded four Group 1 successes.

Justin O'Hanlon's Ten to follow

Al Riffa
Auguste Rodin
Bucanero Fuerte
Ezeliya
Harbour Wind
Kyprios
Opera Singer
Rogue Millenium
Vespertilio
Ylang Ylang

Enter the Tote Ten to Follow here

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