LAST year’s renewal of the Tote.ie Alleged Stakes (4.35) had definite Group 1 implications, with White Birch winning the Group 3 on his way to Tattersalls Gold Cup success. There’s every chance it could be a similar story today at the Curragh.

Aidan O’Brien is taking the wraps off two of his leading older horses in what should be an informative 10-furlong contest, with unbeaten St Leger winner Jan Brueghel and globetrotting stayer Tower Of London beginning their campaigns here.

Irish Derby winner Los Angeles was also declared to make his reappearance before being ruled out at lunchtime on Thursday due to being off his feed.

This is a decent affair that doesn’t just revolve around the Ballydoyle duo, however. Ger Keane’s Royal Ascot star Crystal Black runs for the first time since dishing out a five-length beating to Irish Cesarewitch winner The Euphrates in the Group 3 Ballyroan Stakes last August, while Joseph O’Brien sends a three-pronged attack, headed up by the race-fit Galen.

Sons And Lovers, placed at listed and Group 3 level, debuts for the Owning Hill team after changing hands privately out of Jane Chapple-Hyam’s yard, and the Group 2-placed Wahdan is a new recruit from Jean-Claude Rouget.

Speaking this week at Leopardstown, Aidan O’Brien told Racing TV: “This is a mile and a quarter for Jan Brueghel and we had been thinking about starting him here with the view to going somewhere afterwards with him, possibly something like the Ormonde Stakes at Chester. That’s where we’re thinking about for Illinois.

“With Tower Of London, we’re thinking of going to France with him [next month] for the Group 1 Prix Vicomtesse Vigier at Longchamp, which is now a Group 1. We were wondering whether he would need a run before that, and he comes here.”