Evergreen Caspian Prince back on Irish soil to defend his Sapphire Stakes Crown at the Curragh on Sunday

CASPIAN PRINCE is no stranger to Ireland and he looks likely to head there again this weekend.

The popular sprinter will defend his Sapphire Stakes Crown that he won 12 months ago, beating Group 1 heroine Marsha.

The nine-year-old has been in flying form most recently and smashed the track record at Musselburgh before finishing a close second to Battle Of Jericho in a big handicap, giving heaps of weight away.

Mick Appleby, who looks after him after his move from Tony Coyle, is looking forward to the Group 2 race for which 15 stood their ground at the confirmation stage.

The trainer said: "The plan is to run and hopefully he should gave a good chance.

"He's come out of his last race very well."

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Caspian Prince could renew his rivalry with Battle Of Jericho, who beat him by a short-head in the Rockingham Handicap, but with a big turn around in the weights many will fancy the English raider.

Battle Of Jericho's trainer Aidan O'Brien has also left in Washington DC, Declarationofpeace, Sioux Nation and Different League.

Supporting Caspian Prince in a strong UK contingent are Judicial, Mabs Cross, Muthmir, Just Glamorous, Havana Grey and Mrs Gallagher.

Ed Walker will give Indian Blessing a workout on Wednesday before deciding whether to let her take her chance in the Kilboy Estate Stakes on the same card.

The Newmarket trainer will choose between this Group 2 over nine furlongs and the Group 1 Prix Rothschild over a mile at Deauville a week later for his four-year-old filly, who was last seen winning the Group 3 Holstein Cup in Hamburg.

He said: "She's going to work on Wednesday. She's also in the Prix Rothschild at Deauville a week later.

"She's a Group 3 winner and she's Group 2 placed so we're just trying to fill her page.

"I'm not sure if she'll run in Ireland. I'll have a good look at it.

"She's in really good form. She's getting better so she's done little wrong this year."

Indian Blessing is one of three British possibles along with Martyn Meade's Wilamina, who was third in the Duke Of Cambridge Stakes at Royal Ascot, and Dynamic from the William Haggas stable.

Aidan O'Brien is responsible for nine of the 18 confirmations. Four of them - September, Bye Bye Baby, Magical and Sizzling - have also been left in the Irish Oaks on Saturday.

The Ballydoyle trainer's other possibles are Broadway, Curly, Darkness Falls, I Can Fly and Sarrocchi.

Jessica Harrington is represented by dual Listed scorer I'm So Fancy, while Dermot Weld's Belle Estrelle and Jim Bolger's Panstarr, who were first and third in the Listed Cairn Rouge Stakes at Killarney on Sunday, are among others in the mix.