Reputations are on the line. All six competitors are high class. All have had a run this season, but none have been able to win this season, with most looking they will have come on from their last start.
The Jean-Claude Rouget-trained Vadeni has been supplemented for the contest and looked like one of the best horses in Europe when recording three straight victories last summer, including a Classic win in the Group 1 Prix de Jockey Club (French Derby) and a neck victory in the Group 1 Eclipse Stakes at Sandown. He was only beaten half-a-length by Alpinista in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in October and shaped as though ten furlongs was probably his best trip. A defeat in the Group 1 Prix Ganay at Longchamp on seasonal reappearance can be ignored and there is no doubt that Rouget will have him primed for an Irish raid. The stable has found form this past week with Rougets' strike rate jumping significantly.
Bay Bridge has made a meteoric rise to the top, having started the 2021 season as a useful handicapper. He ended the 2021 campaign with a win in the Listed James Seymour Stakes at Newmarket and has gone from strength to strength since. He was never a factor after being short of room in Vadeni's Eclipse despite starting favourite but bounced back with a comfortable victory in the Group 1 Champion Stakes at Ascot. The five-year-old finished one place ahead of Vadeni in third in the Group 1 Prix Ganay on his return to action and will have come forward for the run.
Group 1 Irish Champion Stakes winner Luxembourg returns to the Curragh after a disappointing seasonal reappearance when fifth in the Group 2 Mooresbridge Stakes. He is far better than that performance would suggest and we potentially haven't seen the best of him yet. The four-year-old has recorded five victories from eight runs and he was unbeaten over ten furlongs prior to the Mooresbridge defeat.
Of the outsiders, Layfayette cannot be entirely dismissed as a course and distance winner. He was ahead of Luxembourg when second in the Group 2 Mooresbridge Stakes and has since produced a good third behind Point Lonsdale at Chester in the Group 2 Huxley Stakes. Donnacha O'Brien's Piz Badile was a fair third in the Mooresbridge but may prefer a longer distance as an Irish Derby second.
The filly Trevaunance is trained by Jessica Harrington and holds some useful French form, including a victory in the Group 2 Prix de Nonette. She is yet to produce her best in mixed sex company which would be a concern.
WIN: BAY BRIDGE
DARK HORSE: LAYFAYETTE
