Dubai: It’s another typically busy weekend for Dubai-owned horses as The Curragh in Ireland and Haydock Park in the UK stage two of their biggest race meetings of the summer.

The former stages a major double-header in the form of the Irish 2,000 Guineas (G1) on Saturday and the Irish 1,000 Guineas (G1) the following day, while the Temple Stakes (G2) is the highlight of a cracking afternoon’s racing at Haydock in Merseyside, England.

Godolphin, the international racing stable with bases in Dubai during the winter and Newmarket, England during the summer are represented in both the 2,000 Guineas, with UAE Derby (G2) scorer Thunder Snow and Bean Feasa, winner of the 1,000 Guineas Trial who bids to follow up in the 1,000 Guineas (G1) itself.

Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance, also runs maiden scorer Aneen in the latter event.

Thunder Snow faces five rivals in the colt’s Classic including 1-3 favourite Churchill, who he finished fourth behind in last year’s Dubai Dewhurst Stakes (G1).

All eyes will be on Saeed Bin Surour’s colt who was last seen playing up in the Kentucky Derby (G1).

Belgian ace, Christophe Soumillon, who was on board on that occasion, resumes his association with the son of Helmet, a lightning fast racehorse from Australia.

Churchill, who was unbeaten in his last six starts, has side-stepped the Epsom Derby (G1) in favour of attempting a 2,000 Guineas double for his prolific trainer Aidan O’Brien.

In Sunday’s 1,000 Guineas O’Brien also appears to hold the upper hand with Winter, who like her stable companion Churchill, bids to complete a Classic double having previously won the English equivalent.

Godolphin appear to have a major contender in Jim Bolger’s recent 1,000 Guineas Trial winner Bean Feasa while Kevin Prendergast sends out Shaikh Hamdan’s Aneen, the winner of a Curragh maiden last October.

Meanwhile, Haydock’s card on Saturday features two exciting Group 2 contests in the Sandy Lanes Stakes over six furlongs and the Temple Stakes over a mile.

Godolphin are represented by the Richard Fahey-trained Brian The Snail in the former. After winning his first three starts Brian The Snail fluffed his lines in a listed contest at York nine days ago. He has been backed up quick and needs to prove he can do better en route to a possible shot at the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup and the July Cup laster this year.

Shaikh Hamdan is represented by the John Gosden-trained Waady in the five-furlong Temple Stakes.

Without success since winning the Group 3 Coral Charge at Sandown in July 2015, Waady finished 2½ lengths second to Profitable when third in this race last year. He was also two lengths fifth to him in the King’s Stand.