Johnny Murtagh has jumped off a dual Group 1 winner to ride a talented but largely unproven stable-mate in the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket.

As hints go, it is like sleepwalking on to a right cross from Ricky Hatton.

No matter that Rip Van Winkle is apparently fighting a fitness battle after suffering a bruised front foot earlier in the week.

Murtagh's decision to forsake the ride on the Aidan O'Brien-trained Mastercraftsman, last season's champion two-year-old, emphatically puts any injury doubts to bed.

He is looking to win the race for a third time for the Ballydoyle yard, having ridden Henrythenavigator to victory in the race last year and Rock Of Gibraltar in 2002.

Jockeys don't always get it right, but it is fair to assume that Murtagh, who has partnered Mastercraftsman in each of his five races, isn't fumbling in the dark. On this occasion, potential trumps the form book.

This Group 1 over a straight mile is worth £400,000, but that is a drop in the ocean to what the winning owners can command in stallion fees.

Consequently, they will not run such precious commodities if they are not ready to do themselves justice.

So you can bet that Sir Michael Stoute's Evasive, who took "a lame step" this week, will be almost spot on. You can also be sure that Sea The Stars will be ready, despite less than enthusiastic reports from John Oxx.

Or are these shrewd trainers merely chancing their arm in a wide open Classic?

For even the most usually reliable of trials have shed little light. The Dewhurst Stakes, run over seven furlongs at Newmarket in October, was far from informative. You could have thrown a large duvet over the first eight finishers.

In Rip Van Winkle's case, he was sent off favourite and given too much to do, before finishing an eased-down seventh, beaten two lengths by Intense Focus, who bypasses tomorrow's race in favour of the French Guineas.

Delegator, who was fifth, subsequently showed a good turn of foot on his seasonal bow, winning the Craven over course and distance. Yet he did nothing more than underline his wellbeing in beating a motley crew.

Lord Shanakill (25-1 with William Hill) and Finjaan (33-1 with Ladbrokes) were second and third in the Dewhurst. They have been overlooked because they respectively missed their intended prep run because of a fever and bad ground. But, with fast going anticipated, they should get the extra furlong and look overpriced.

At Churchill Downs tomorrow night (10.00), FRIESAN FIRE will handle the wet conditions better than most in the Kentucky Derby, and Chocolate Candy makes each-way appeal at 14-1.