O'Brien lines up Classic contenders at Leopardstown

Dublin - Aidan O'Brien could lay down an early marker for the summer's big Flat turf highlights with several of his stars from last season entered at Leopardstown on Saturday.

The Listed Ballylinch 2000 Guineas Trial is one of two 1400m Guineas trials and O'Brien is responsible for four of the nine entries, led by Dewhurst winner US Navy Flag.

That top-level form has been significantly boosted by stablemate Mendelssohn's exploits in Meydan this winter as US Navy Flag defeated him by 2.5 lengths at Newmarket.

Gustav Klimt has not been seen since Newmarket last summer when winning the Superlative Stakes on the July course, but could return on Saturday. Murillo and Group 3 winner Kenya complete O'Brien's quartet.

Fillies' Mile and Marcel Boussac fourth Magical leads O'Brien's contenders in the Ballylinch Stud 'Priory Belle' 1000 Guineas Trial, which could also witness the return of Alpha Centauri, who finished fifth behind Investec Oaks favourite Happily in the Moyglare Stud Stakes.

Clues may be gleaned for the Investec Derby in the PW McGrath Memorial Ballysax Stakes, in which second-favourite The Pentagon may make his seasonal reappearance.

Royal Lodge runner-up Nelson is another possible for O'Brien, who has seven of the 12 entries and can count Galileo, Yeats and Fame And Glory among his previous winners of the race.

The Leopardstown going was reported as heavy on Tuesday, but the forecast is for a largely dry remainder of the week.

One horse whose return is on hold is Godolphin's Magic Lily. Third in the Fillies' Mile on her second start, this three-year-old will miss the Oaks – for which she was third favourite at around 12-1 – after suffering a soft tissue injury. However, she could make the Irish equivalent. –