Mick Halford was forced to miss Newmarket with Raydara but hopes that might now work in his favour for Sunday's Tattersalls Irish 1,000 Guineas at the Curragh.
Owned by the Aga Khan, Raydara was right up there with the best of her generation last season, winning the Debutante Stakes.
That victory came at the expense of Jim Bolger's Lucida, who went on to claim Group Two glory at the end of last season before finishing second to Legatissimo in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket.
Halford had hoped to run his daughter of Rock Of Gibraltar there but felt she was not quite right so decided to wait and target her at this version instead.
"The plan was to go to Newmarket for the 1000 Guineas, but she just wasn't sparking at the time and we said we would just wait for this weekend," said Halford.
"She has been to the racecourse for a gallop and I'm happy with her. She is a clear-winded filly and an easy filly to get right.
"Her form from the Debutante Stakes looks rock-solid and was well advertised in the English Guineas, so you'd be hopeful she could run a nice race, but a Classic is a Classic.
"I walked a couple of furlongs of it (the Curragh, on Thursday) and it's drying up nicely. Hopefully it will stay that way to the weekend.
"Her form is there, obviously it's the 1,000 Guineas and there's plenty of dangers, but she's in good form so we'll hope for a good draw and a bit of luck."
The favourite is Aidan O'Brien's Found, who showed excellent form at two.
She beat stablemate and subsequent Fillies' Mile winner Together Forever on her debut, was a close third in the Moyglare behind Cursory Glance and then beat the future Poule d'Essai des Pouliches winner Ervedya easily in the Prix Marcel Boussac at Longchamp.
Found had a troubled run ahead of Newmarket, though, and while she made her reappearance just a day after the Classic in the Athasi, she was beaten by Iveagh Gardens.
O'Brien also runs the promising Kissed By Angels and Qualify.
Jessica Harrington has two very strong contenders in Jack Naylor and Bocca Baciata.
Jack Naylor won three last season, including victories over Agnes Stewart and Legatissimo, while Bocca Baciata reappeared this season with an easy win over Jim Bolger's Pleascach, who was subsequently a Group Three winner and reopposes here.
"Bocca Baciata won the Salsabil Stakes so she has just been ticking over since then, just getting her there," Harrington told At The Races.
"Jack Naylor was meant to run in the Blue Wind Stakes about 10 days ago, but the ground was heavy so we didn't run her which means she's going there without a run.
"I think Bocca is one of those which seems to go on any ground.
"I've never actually worked them together, they came at different times last year, Jack Naylor was out much earlier.
"Jack Naylor had a good two-year-old career, being third in a Group One.
"All Jack's form is good, she beat Legatissimo giving her 5lb and has also beaten Agnes Stewart, but she hasn't had a run this year. She's not over-big so I don't think that will worry her.
"We'll get over this weekend and then plan for the rest of the season.
"The way Jack is bred, she's a real mile-and-a-half filly, she amazed me last year that she was able to win over six."
In a trial earlier in the season won by Dermot Weld's Stormfly, who also runs in this, Michael O'Callaghan's Military Angel finished third, just behind Devonshire, on what was only her second outing.
"She's still relatively unexposed having only run twice. She was third in the first of the 1,000 Guineas Trials at Leopardstown and won first time out on nice ground," said O'Callaghan.
"She'll really appreciate better ground and I'm looking forward to running her.
"I thought her run in the trial was very good. It was only her second ever start and she'd never encountered that sort of ground. The first few pulled a long way clear and she had Legatissimo in behind her that day so the form is exceptional.
"I hope she can run the race of her life and maybe be placed, I'm very happy with her and looking forward to it."
Weld also runs the once-raced Joailliere, Bolger has Steip Amach along with Pleascach while Mick Channon sends over Newmarket fourth Malabar.
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