Dermot Weld is targeting the Etihad Airways Irish 1,000 Guineas with his exciting filly Yellow Rosebud.
The three-year-old made a winning debut at Leopardstown last June before chasing home Maybe in the Debutante Stakes at the Curragh and finishing fourth in the Prix Marcel Boussac at Longchamp.
She also holds an entry in the English Guineas, but Weld is planning to keep his charge at home and is hoping the current mild weather brings her forward.
"She's a nice filly. She's still a little bit backward, surprisingly, despite this lovely weather," Weld told At The Races.
"She'll run in one of the Classic trials, probably the Derrinstown Guineas Trial, with a view to going for the Irish 1,000 Guineas.
"She's slightly more backward than I'd like at this time but with this lovely weather, she should come forward rapidly in the coming weeks."
Another Weld-trained filly who has already made it at the highest level is Emulous, who completed a hat-trick last season when running away with the Group One Matron Stakes.
"She's in super form and she loves this warm weather, but her entire programme will be geared towards the second part of the year," Weld added.
"We'll be looking at the Matron again, the Sun Chariot in Newmarket and who knows, maybe even the Breeders' Cup at the end of the year.
"She probably won't appear until the Guineas weekend at the Curragh, there's a nice Group race for fillies that she won last year."
Although he has yet to register a success at the highest level, one of the undoubted stars of the yard is Famous Name.
The seven-year-old entire is back for more in 2012 and Weld is praying he can finally collect that elusive first Group One prize.
"He's just a wonderful horse. He's won 14 races, he's won eight Group races and he's been Group One placed six times," the trainer continued.
"He'll probably start back in the Heritage Stakes at Leopardstown, which he's won a couple of times.
"He's a little bit ground dependant, more so nowadays, so this beautiful warm weather and firm ground is not exactly for him.
"Please god he'll get his Group One this year. We were slightly unlucky in Germany last year where he was second in a Group One, the winner just got away from us.
"There is a Group One in him and it's just to try and find the race. I wouldn't be against running him in Canada or America.
"The amazing thing about him is he loves being a racehorse. He's had five years exercising on the gallops and each year he goes out with that same enthusiasm. He's just a joy to train."
Rite Of Passage has run only once since his Ascot Gold Cup triumph in 2010, but he is on course to return from injury and bid to regain his crown at the Royal meeting.
"He got a tendon (injury). He's back in super form and he's cantering daily and swimming as well," said Weld.
"With the combination of cantering and swimming, I hope the scans on the tendon are excellent and we'll train him towards this year's Gold Cup.
"He's got very little miles on the clock, but they are big races he runs in. I'm happy with him, but it's early days."
