GEORGE WASHINGTON is odds-on to beat ten opponents in the Boylesports Irish 2,000 Guineas at the Curragh today. He is joined by three stablemates from Ballydoyle, while Araafa, trained by Jeremy Noseda, heads the British challenge.

Araafa finished just under five lengths adrift of George Washington when fourth in the 2,000 Guineas, and even on a vastly different surface, he will find it hard to usurp the Aidan O’Brien-trained colt.

O’Brien maintained that George Washington would run irrespective of the state of the track. “Soft ground is far from ideal,” he said, “but it has been soft all year at home, so he should be OK on it. The horse is in good form.”

Ballydoyle has an even stronger numerical representation in the Boylesports Irish 1,000 Guineas tomorrow with five in a field of 15. Kieren Fallon has chosen Race For The Stars, who finished down the field in the Newmarket equivalent this month.

Confidential Lady, runner-up on that occasion, is favoured by the sponsor at 7-2. The Sir Mark Prescott-trained filly is one of four challengers from Britain and is expected to go close. “She has had a good preparation,” her trainer said. “I’d be hopeful, but it would be different if some of the other fillies would have improved.”

Prescott was talking in particular about Short Dance, trained by Barry Hills, who rates a 4-1 chance after her facile York victory last time out. Also in contention is Nasheej, the Richard Hannon-trained filly who finished one place behind Confidential Lady in the 1,000 Guineas.

Ryan Moore, who was aboard Nasheej at Newmarket and renews the association tomorrow, is hopeful he can overturn the one-length deficit. “I am sure she will run another honest race,” the jockey ventured. “Confidential Lady looks the one to beat but the ground will be very different to what it was at Newmarket. That could change things.”

Also at the Curragh tomorrow, Hurricane Run makes his seasonal reappearance in the Tattersalls Gold Cup. Hurricane Run’s prowess is such that only two oppose Europe’s champion racehorse in the ten-furlong test. Lord Admiral and Alexander Goldrun are not expected to trouble the André Fabre-trained four-year-old.

On the Derby front, Hala Bek caught the eye of workwatchers when he returned to Newmarket Heath after a mild respiratory infection. The son of Halling, a best-priced 14-1 for the Derby, picked up his lead horses with zest under Philip Robinson and is firmly back in contention for the blue riband.

“He worked over a mile,” Michael Jarvis, his trainer, said, “and he worked quite nicely. The ground was on the soft side but Philip [Robinson] was very happy with him. We are all keen to go to Epsom as long as we feel the horse is at his best, because you don’t win Derbys half-cock. We will make a final decision next week.”

At Goodwood yesterday, Sonny Red showed himself to be one of the fastest two-year-olds seen out when running away with the Baker Tilly Trophy Stakes. Trained by Hannon, the Redback colt is expected to run next in the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot.