With the withdrawal of English 2000 Guineas winner Haafhd, from the Irish equivalent, Azamour is fancied to win the mile classic. At this stage a field of 15 is set to face the starter.

AMARULA RIDGE: Makes just his fourth start. Third to Grey Swallow in the Trial for this race, when beaten 3 lengths. Trained by Kevin Prendergast he has won one of three starts to date. A son of Indian Ridge, he is a half brother to group one winner Mail The Desert.

AZAMOUR: The likely favourite for the race. A top class two year old, he won the Beresford Stakes over Relaxed Gesture, the latter a good second to Derby favourite Yeats at his last start. Third in the English 2000 Guineas at his first start at three. He beat all of Grey Swallow, Whipper, Bachelor Duke and One Cool Cat on that occasion. Bids to give John Oxx his first success in the race. The son of Night Shift is being aimed at the Derby although his pedigree suggests he will battle to get the trip.

BACHELOR DUKE: The most talented maiden in training, he was a good fourth in the Dewhurst at his last start at two. Not disgraced in the English 2000 Guineas, when just two lengths behind Azamour and a length off Grey Swallow. Trained by James Toller, he has run well in all four starts, including third in the Tattersalls Stakes to Milk It Mick. A son of Miswaki he hails from the family of Nureyev and Sadler's Wells.

BOOK OF KINGS: A Derby entrant, he won his sole start to date impressively. One of six runners for Aiden O'Brien. The son of Kingmambo is out of a sister to Arc winner, Carnegie. He broke his maiden over a mile and the second and third home have won since. He rises in class and is hard to know what to make of him. O'Brien is looking for his fifth win in the race.

GRAND REWARD: Second in the Tetrarch Stakes, three and a half lengths off Leitrim House, whom reopposes here. A good two year old, whose earlier form includes a second to unlucky French 2000 Guineas loser, Byron.
By champion sire Storm Cat he is out of champion Serena's Song. He has won one of five starts.

GREY SWALLOW: A good fourth in the English 2000 Guineas, where trainer Dermot Weld said the race came too soon. The highest rated two year old in Ireland last year he won the group three Killavullan Stakes by eight lengths from subsequent Listed winner Newton. He won the Listed 2000 Trial narrowly by a head from the smart Meath on his first start at three. A son of very exciting sire Daylami, he is from the family of 1996 winner Spinning World.

HAYBURN STREET: The likely pacemaker for Grey Swallow. He has made one start, when running second last. A son of Barathea, who won in 1993, he is closely related to 1998 hero, Desert Prince. Another Weld runner.

KILL CAT: An Italian entrant. Ran unplaced in the Italian 2000 Guineas behind Spirit of Desert. A son of Catrail, he was previously second to Spirit of Desert in a Listed race at Capannelle.

LEITRIM HOUSE: One of the most improved three year olds in training. He has won both starts at three, including a facile win in the group three Tetrarch Stakes over seven furlongs last time out. A winner of three of his four starts to date. He is sole British raider for trainer Brian Meehan. He is a son of Cadeaux Genereux out of a Midyan mare. His sole loss came behind the top class Lucky Story. Takes a steep rise in class but is on the up.

MEATH: A close second to Grey Swallow two starts back, beaten just a head, he was second in the Amethyst Stakes on his last start. A son of Sadler's Wells - sire of two previous winners of the race- he is another O'Brien entrant. Has won once in four starts, winning his maiden over a mile by six lengths. The form of the race does not look strong and he needs to improve. From the family of Leitrim House.

MOSCOW BALLET: Well beaten in his last start when unplaced in the Dante Stakes behind North Light. Ran a good second behind Snow Ridge in the Royal Lodge Stakes but disappointing in his last two starts. A Sadler's Wells half brother to champion Stravinsky, he won his first start, but lost next three. He was beaten 14 lengths in the Dante Stakes at York last month.

NEWTON: Well beaten by Grey Swallow in the Killavullan Stakes. A listed winner on his first start at three, he was unplaced in the French 2000 Guineas. The son of Danehill is out of a Be My Guest mare. Has ground to find with both Grey Swallow and Leitrim House.

ONE COOL CAT: The disappointing favourite in the English 2000 Guineas when finishing second last. At first thought to have a heart rumor, but later was checked and said to be fine. A top class two year old, when winning both the National and Phoenix Stakes. The apparent first string from Ballydoyle. A son of Storm Cat out of a Mr Prospector mare, he was sold for $3.1 million as a yearling. Beat Wathab a length in the National Stakes, the latter running fourth behind Newton on his reappearance. Hard to assess.

WATHAB: The second son of Cadeaux Genereux in the race. One of the best two year olds in Ireland, he was fourth to Newton on his reappearance. The colt was expected to come on for the run and is the third Weld runner in the race - seemingly the second string for Grey Swallow. A tough colt who made ten starts last year, he is from Sevillano's family. Won the Listed Round Table Stakes narrowly last year over six furlongs. Has yet to run over a mile and his pedigree suggests he may be better over shorter.

WHIPPER: One of the best two years old France last year, when winner of the Prix Morny and Criterium de Maisons-Laffite. He won the Prix Djebel by eight lengths, before running fifth in the English 2000 Guineas. Apparently he failed to get home, so the decision to run him over a mile again seems odd. On pedigree he should enjoy the mile, by Kingmambo's brother Miesque's Son, he is out of a Sadler's Wells mare, from the family of Shirley Heights. The only French runner in the race.