Dubai: Ten years have passed since Godolphin last collected an Irish 2,000 Guineas (G1) trophy, but the globe-trotting stable will head to The Curragh on Saturday knowing they have a realistic chance of seizing a third success in the prestigious event.

The Dubai-owned stable, whose previous victories in the €300,000 contest were obtained by Dubawi (2005) and Bachir (2000), are represented by last year’s exciting Dubai Dewhurst (G1) scorer Belardo.

Trained by the Newmarket-based Roger Varian, the son of former French 2,000 Guineas winner Lope De Vega faces ten rivals including Gleneagles and Ivawood. The former, who is trained by nine-time Irish Guineas winning handler Aidan O’Brien, landed the English 2,000 Guineas (G1) earlier this month, while Richard Hannon’s Ivawood was third in the race.

Belardo showed himself to be of Classic material last season when posting three wins from five starts, but stumbled on his seasonal debut when only eighth behind Muhaarar in Newbury’s Greenham Stakes (G3).

However, the 36-year-old Varian, who is seeking a career-first Guineas victory, gave his support for Belardo and told the Godolphin website: “You can’t write him off after one run, especially as the ground was very quick at Newbury, and he never let himself down on it.

“He didn’t have a hard race in the Greenham. He’s a fresh horse. His work had been excellent leading up to that race and has been excellent since.”

Meanwhile, Mohaayed bids to give Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and UAE Minister of Finance, a first Irish Guineas trophy provided he handles the huge step up in class to Group 1 company.

In Sunday’s Irish 1,000 Guineas, Godolphin are represented by Devonshire, while Tamadhor runs in the colours of Shaikh Hamdan, who has enjoyed three victories in the fillies’ Classic thanks to Bethrah (2010), Matiya (1996), Mehthaaf (1994) and Al Bahathri (1985).

Willie McCreery said of Devonshire: “I’m very happy with her, she has been working well and I believe running her in the Irish 1,000 Guineas is the right thing to do.”