All eyes will be on the Curragh this weekend when the behind-closed-doors Irish Guineas Festival, live on RTÉ, takes central billing.

The 2000 Guineas is first up on Friday evening (6:45) and Siskin is favourite to give his trainer Ger Lyons a first classic win. The son of First Defence provided Lyons with a first Group 1 win in Ireland last year, when taking the Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh.

Speaking to The Irish Field: last weekend, the Meath-based trainer said: “We couldn’t be happier with Siskin. Whether that makes him good enough or not, time will tell. It’s been a long time since his last racecourse appearance but he’s in good order and we’re happy that he’ll get the trip.”

Siskin faces tough opposition from Aidan O’Brien’s Armory and Vatican City.

In the 1000 Guineas, Albigna, one of Jessica Harrington’s many star fillies, looks set to start favourite. An impressive winner of the Group 1 Marcel Boussac on Arc day at ParisLongchamp last season, Albigna runs in the colours of the Niarchos Family, who provided Harrington with her first ever classic winner in this race two years ago with Alpha Centauri.

Harrington was in red hot form for the first meeting back at Naas on Monday, recording three winners, all ridden by stable jockey Shane Foley, who added one more to his tally for Co Down trainer Leanne Breen.

Business as usual

Harrington’s treble brought some consolation after her Millisle’s disappointing effort in the Newmarket 1000 Guineas on Sunday. It was a case of business as usual in that contest with Aidan O’Brien combining with a Galileo filly – Love – to win the race for the fourth time in five years.

Love is already a short price favourite for the Oaks at Epsom next month.

O’Brien just failed to land the 2000 Guineas when Wichita was nabbed close to home by Kameko, who gave Kerry jockey Oisin Murphy a first classic win.

Back at Naas, the highlight in equine terms had to be Denis Hogan’s Sceptical, who continued his progression with an impressive win in the Listed Woodlands Stakes.

Hogan provided one of the big stories last season when progressing former Godolphin horse Make A Challenge through the ranks, the £6,500 purchase winning six times in all, earning over €150,000 and finishing his season off with a highly respectable fourth in the British Champions Stakes at Ascot.

It looks like it will be Ascot of the Royal kind for Sceptical, who himself cost just £2,800.