THE spotlight this weekend is on Fair Grounds where the Louisiana Derby card is backed up by the reappearance in the Grade 2 New Orleans Classic (9.04pm), of last year’s top colt Sierra Leone who makes his four-year-old return on the same track he kicked off his three-year-old campaign.

His 2024 season concluded with a win in the Breeders’ Cup Classic and brought him the Champion Three-Year-Old Male honours.

The 7/5 favourite on the morning line, his biggest rival appears to be Steve Asmussen’s Hall Of Fame, who has a fitness advantage, having won the Grade 3 Mineshaft Stakes here in February.

The Grade 2 Louisiana Derby (10.42pm) attracted a full field of 12.

The second, third and fourth-place finishers from the Grade 2 Risen Star Stakes face the Sam F. Davis winner John Hancock and Sunland Derby runner-up Caldera.

The Brad Cox-trained John Hancock, a son of Constitution, is the morning line favourite under Flavien Prat, ahead of the Risen Star duo Chink Of Gold and Built.

On only his second start (won his maiden), John Hancock won the Tampa trial, beating Owen Almighty who has since won the Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby by a wide margin beating one of last year’s Grade 1 winners, Chancer McPatrick.

Trained by Wayne Catalano, Built comes off a third-place finish in the Risen Star. Impressive winner of the Gun Runner Stakes and then runner-up in the Lecomte by a neck, Built made a good effort against Magnitude in the Risen Star and was eventually headed at the line, losing second to long shot Chunk Of Gold.

Built had won the Gun Runner while setting the pace and with blinkers added, this could be his chance to bounce back. The Risen Star fifth, American Promise won his trial well last week.

In the Grade 2 Fair Grounds Oaks, Godolphin’s Good Cheer puts her perfect five-from five unbeaten record on the line.

The daughter of Medaglia d’Oro comes off an over six-length season-opening win in last month’s Grade 2 Rachel Alexandra Stakes.