In more than 30 years since he took out his trainer’s license, Dermot Weld has seen a lot of changes. There has been the arrival of Arab owners who now dominate much of the sport along with the ever-growing presence of the Coolmore Stud and their main trainer, Aidan O’Brien. However, one of the constants has been Weld’s own ability given the right material, something that was long since noted by Sheikh Hamdan al Maktoum. The Sheikh has been an owner with Weld for many years and that patronage was rewarded when Bethrah won the Etihad Airways Irish 1000 Guineas at the Curragh.

Now, to the 1000 Guineas race itself. Just a head and a neck separated the 16-1 winner from Anna Salai and Music Show with five runners flashing across the line covered by less than a length. But it was clear from an early stage that Pat Smullen had claimed a narrow success aboard the Hamdan Al Maktoum-owned daughter of Marju at the expense of Godolphin’s new first-season trainer and the luckless Channon.

His assertion proved correct as the filly extracted herself from an uncompromising position and squeezed up the rail to edge out Ahmed Ajtebi on Anna Salai, who has recently joined Al Zarooni in Newmarket from Andre Fabre.

Music Show jumped from the stalls as the 3-1 favourite after being drawn on the unfavoured far side in the English Guineas and she was not disgraced in third under Ryan Moore. The market leader made her move inside the distance down the centre of the track, but the main action was happening on the far rail.

Trainer Dermot Weld said: “You can never be confident but I knew she would represent us very well. She is tough and very genuine and has progressed over the winter. We’ve done a lot of work with her at the stalls and she is lot more confident these days and went in perfectly today.”

I discussed in my earlier article about the cash-strapped New York Racing Association (NYRA) planning to issue a warning that racing in the state may have to shut down in less than three weeks on June 6 - the day after the Belmont Stakes. It has been averted.

The New York state legislature has approved a $25 million loan to the cash-strapped New York Racing Association (NYRA) which operates Belmont Park, Saratoga and Aqueduct. The funding should enable racing in the state to continue till at least the end of the year.

Should NYRA fail to repay the loan by the end of March next year, the loan will then be repaid from money NYRA would otherwise receive through the slots operation at Aqueduct.

Now some news on Belmont Stakes. Preakness Stakes (G1) runner-up First Dude arrived at Belmont Park on Saturday to begin his final preparations for the Belmont Stakes (G1) on June 5. The Stephen Got Even colt is slated to have his final breeze for the third jewel of the Triple Crown on May 29 for trainer Dale Romans. First Dude will be overseen at Belmont by assistant trainer Tammy Fox while stabled with trainer Mike Maker.

Dwyer Stakes (G2) winner Fly Down breezed a half-mile on the Oklahoma Training Track at Saratoga Race Course on Saturday for trainer Nick Zito. The Mineshaft colt covered four furlongs in 49.40s. Fly Down cemented his credentials as a Belmont stakes contender with a six-length romp in the 1 1/8-mile Dwyer on May 8 at Belmont.

Stately Victor breezed five furlongs in 59.40s on Tuesday at the Trackside Louisville Training Center for trainer Mike Maker. Thomas and Jack Conway’s Stately Victor is preparing for a start in the 1½-mile Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park. The colt finished eighth in the Kentucky Derby.

Racing Hall of Fame trainer Nick Zito plans to give Jackson Bend some rest instead of pushing him onto the Belmont. Jackson Bend is truly a Florida product. He is from the first crop of Fred and Jane Brie’s stallion Hear No Evil. Last fall, LaPenta purchased his interest once Jackson Bend completed a sweep of the Florida Stallion Stakes series at Calder Race Course. Kentucky Derby runner-up Ice Box retained his top ranking among contenders for the Belmont Stakes.

The only newcomer is Spangled Star, a Distorted Humor colt who finished third in the Withers Stakes (G3) at Aqueduct on April 24 for trainer Richard Dutrow Jr. “He seems to be getting a little better with every start,” Spangled Star’s owner, Lawrence P. Roman, said. “He’s lightly raced and he’s bred to go the distance. When I bought him, I had the Belmont Stakes in mind. For most people, the Kentucky Derby is the race they want to win the most, but for me that race is the Belmont.”

Make Music for Me had his first breeze at Belmont Park Sunday morning, covering a mile in 1:43.65 in preparation for the Belmont stakes.

The other Belmont Stakes hopeful on the work tab was Dwyer (G2) runner-up Drosselmeyer, who went six furlongs in 1:14.10 for Hall of Fame race horse trainer Bill Mott. Make Music for Me’s breeze was the only one at a mile, while Drosselmeyer’s was the faster of two at six furlongs, with workmate Raging Wit covering the distance in 1:15.24

Andrew Byrnes, stakes coordinator for the New York Racing Association, listed Dublin, First Dude, Game On Dude, New Madrid, Setsuko, Spangled Star, Stately Victor, and Uptowncharlybrown as possible for the 1½-mile classic.