Top fillies tackle Matron Stakes
Thursday 2 September 2010
British raiders Music Show, Spacious and Jacqueline Quest feature among seven runners in Saturday's Coolmore Fusaichi Pegasus Matron Stakes at Leopardstown.
Mick Channon's Music Show arrives in great form having won the Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket before finishing second to Goldikova in the Prix Rothschild.
The James Fanshawe-trained Spacious was second to Music Show in the Falmouth and is still seeking an elusive first Group One triumph, while Henry Cecil's Jacqueline Quest needs to bounce back after disappointing in a Goodwood Group Three.
The quartet consists of Dermot Weld's Irish 1000 Guineas winner Bethrah, Aidan O'Brien's Falmouth fifth Lillie Langtry, David Wachman's Hen Night and Jim Bolger's Gile Na Greine.
Fanshawe reports Spacious to be in tip-top shape ahead of the race.
'She ran really well at Newmarket and obviously Music Show produced the run of her life,' Fanshawe told At The Races.
'She won nicely there, but Spacious has turned the form on some of the other fillies she's been racing against and ran a hell of a race there.
'They have had far less rain in Ireland than we have had here. It's going to be good to firm ground there, that's the impression I get.
'It's not just Music Show. There are plenty of other good fillies in the field, if Lillie Langtry produced her Coronation Stakes form and there's the Irish Guineas winner (Bethrah). There's plenty of strength in depth in the race.
'I'm very happy with Spacious. She doesn't mind good to firm, she's got a lovely action.
'Kieren (Fallon) rode her work last week and was very pleased with her. He's keen to ride her and Luca (Cumani) has given the green light.
'Johnny (Murtagh) has ridden her lots of times but he's on Lillie Langtry. Kieren rode her in the Falmouth and got on well with her.'
