Irish trainers Joseph O’Brien, Ado McGuinness and David Marnane are all looking forward to saddling Finals Day runners at Newcastle on Good Friday, April 7.
San Andreas bids to go one better for O’Brien in the Spreadex All-Weather Mile Championships, having gone down by a nose to subsequent G2 winner My Oberon 12 months ago.
The seven-year-old has won or placed in 14 of his 18 all-weather appearances and recorded an impressive five-and-a-half-length victory in a conditions race at Dundalk on his latest outing in March.
O’Brien said: “San Andreas is in good shape. He is something of an all-weather specialist and ran a very good race over the course and distance last year.
“We were very happy with his performance at Dundalk the last day and it is nice to have secured the services of James Doyle. We would be hopeful of another big run.”
Freescape finished seventh behind My Oberon last year for Marnane and returns to Newcastle for the BetUK Easter Classic following three Group-race appearances in Dubai earlier this year.
The eight-year-old was just touched off in the extended 10-furlong Listed Diamond Stakes at Dundalk in September before comfortably defying top-weight in a handicap over the same course and distance just before Christmas.
Marnane said: “Freescape looks very well after wintering in Dubai. He did not have a hard campaign out there, with just the three runs, and the Easter Classic has been in our minds since the backend of last year.
“He ran well enough in the mile race at Newcastle last year but I think he is pretty unexposed over this longer trip – he was just beaten in the Listed race at Dundalk in the autumn and then his handicap win was fairly impressive off a mark of 104.
“He ran well enough behind some good horses in Dubai, although his form would tell you that he is not as good on the turf. Friday will be competitive again but it looks a good spot for him and the prize money is fantastic.”
McGuinness will be doubly represented, with Harry’s Bar in the BetUK All-Weather Sprint Championships and Hodd’s Girl in the talkSPORT All-Weather Fillies’ & Mares’ Championships.
Harry’s Bar notched his 14th all-weather victory at Dundalk in February and finished third behind Berkshire Shadow in the Listed Spreadex Lady Wulfruna Stakes at Wolverhampton last month, a race in which Hodd’s Girl was fifth.
McGuinness said: “Harry’s Bar is in great form and I was very happy with is run at Wolverhampton behind two high-class horses in Berkshire Shadow and Angel Bleu.
“We are going back to a straight six furlongs, although I think he does prefer racing around a bend. There are not many other options for a horse like him, so we have to take our chance.
“He ran in the race last year and was a little disappointing [finished 10th] but he had just come back from Dubai having had a tough winter campaign, whereas this time around he is nice and fresh. He worked up the Curragh the other day with Hodd’s Girl and they were both very good.
“This time last year Hodd’s Girl was heading for a claimer in Dundalk and now she is rated 101. She is improving with every run and it was a career-best from her the last day at Wolverhampton.
“If she can produce that run again, I think she will be in the money, especially as the stiffer finish at Newcastle will be to her advantage. I will be disappointed if she does not run a big race.”
There has been one Irish-trained winner on Finals Day from 18 runners, with the Tracey Collins-trained Captain Joy plundering the All-Weather Mile Championships in 2016.