Matron Stakes: runner-by-runner guide

This year’s Coolmore America “Justify” Matron Stakes looks set to be a highly competitive one, with not a great deal to separate the front three in the market at this stage.

As highlighted in my column earlier this week, three-year-olds hold the key here – only nine renewals since the mid 80s have gone the way of an older filly or mare, and nine of the past ten runnings have gone the way of the Classic generation.

That said, one of this year’s market leaders is a four-year-old, namely Fallen Angel, who has won at two, three and four for Karl Burke, so it will be fascinating to see how she fares against her younger rivals having finished second 12 months ago.

Below is an overview of all 13 fillies and mares left standing prior to declarations.

Trainers: Simon and Ed Crisford. Form this season: 11174. Official Rating: 102. Best odds: 25-1.

It is almost precisely 12 months since this globetrotting five-year-old last ran in Europe, where she finished fifth in the Sceptre Stakes at Doncaster.

Her five runs since have all been this year and have yielded two Group Two wins at Meydan and one Grade One success at Keeneland, before being beaten on her last two starts at Saratoga, again in top-level company.

She showed a tenacious attitude when fending off Cinderella’s Dream to win the Balanchine in February and her win at Keenelad in the Jenny Wiley Stakes matches up well to the top form in this race – she beat European import Excellent Truth.

She looks overpriced based on those showings, but the concern is her lack of European racing and the fact she has never previously contested a Group One on this continent.

Trainer: Daniel McLoughlin. Form this season: 1142. Official Rating: 98. Best odds: 100-1.

A bargain €12,000 buy, she has already earned over double her purchase price having won a maiden and a conditions race on her first two starts.

However, she is yet to add to those wins in two further attempts. Comfortably beaten at Listed level last time, this demands plenty more.

Trainer: Karl Burke. Form this season: 631. Official Rating: 115. Best odds: 5-2.

Winning a Group One at two, three and four takes some doing, but Fallen Angel has managed it and she has a big chance of adding to that tally.

She can be forgiven a slightly disappointing fifth in the Lockinge on her reappearance as she also seemed to need her first run back last year in the 1000 Guineas.

Since then, she has finished third at Royal Ascot and improved once again to land the Prix Rothschild by a head over the re-opposing January – who meet Fallen Angel here on 2lb better terms. Expect her to give a bold bid from the front.

She is yet to win with James Doyle aboard, who seems certain to choose her again on Saturday.

Trainer: Paddy Twomey. Form this season: 1261. Official Rating: 108. Best odds: 14-1.

Another chance for Wathnan Racing, One Look is worthy of a second look based on her fine performance to win the Group Three Meadow Court Stakes at The Curragh when last seen in July.

That was, however, over a mile and a quarter, and it remains to be seen if she can repeat that effort over a mile. She did give last year’s Matron heroine Porta Fortuna a race in May over this trip, but had the benefit of race fitness.

Trainer: Ken Condon. Form this season: 16672. Official Rating: 101. Best odds: 66-1.

Ken Condon’s Queen Of Thunder is by the exceptional Night Of Thunder but she would be arriving at Leopardstown off the back of a career best performance last time out where she was just a short head away from landing the Fairy Bridge Stakes over half a furlong shorter.

It goes without saying that she will need to come improve plenty from that again and she has plenty to find on ratings too, with her official mark over a stone below the top-rated runner. Would be a surprise winner. 

Trainer: David Loughnane. Form this season: 183. Official Rating: 109. Best odds: 33-1.

I put this five-year-old up as an eye-catcher after her huge run at Epsom in the Princess Elizabeth Stakes on ground much faster than ideal. Frustratingly, she has not ran since, probably due, in part, to the dry summer.

It would be a surprise to see her take her chance in this too, but should rain arrive, she would certainly be in with a place chance. From ten starts on ground officially described as soft or worse, the daughter of Muhaarar has won seven times.

Trainer: John James Feane. Form this season: 141. Official Rating: 106. Best odds: 12-1.

Vera’s Secret is three from three at Leopardstown and she won emphatically over this course and distance on this card last year in handicap company.

She is a definite pace angle in this race - she has made all to win her three starts here by a cumulative eight lengths – but she does have 9lb to find on official ratings with the head of the market and will need a career best.

Her three starts this year have seen her win a Group Three here by a wide margin, before she finished fourth (two and a half lengths) behind One Look in the Lanwades Stud Stakes, and then won by a neck in the Brownstown Stakes here in July.

Trainer: Donnacha O’Brien. Form this season: 11768. Official Rating: 106. Best odds: 25-1.

Donnacha O’Brien won this last year with the outstanding Tattersalls December Mare Sale-bound Porta Fortuna. This year, he relies upon Atsila, who beat the re-opposing Cercene over a mile in May, but whils that filly has gone on to grab Group one honours, O’Brien’s filly is winless in three subsequent starts.

They have all been at the top level and although only eighth in the Prix Rothschild and sixth in the Falmouth, she was not beaten too far and has not regressed in anyway. She still has plenty of potential, but is likely to find a few too good again.

Trainer: Adrian Murray. Form this season: 1042070. Official Rating: 106. Best odds: 33-1.

The Adrian Murray-trained California Dreamer has been disappointing of late, but the positive is that she is stepping back up to a mile, the trip where her best performances have came over.

Having been reverted to runs over 7f and 6f, this would be her first run over the trip since splitting Lake Victoria and Cercene in the Irish 1000 Guineas. She wasn't far behind Cercene and Atsila in the Athasi Stakes in May either.

She is another likely to be ridden forward in what could be a strongly contested early lead, whilst the main cause for concern is that, not only would you have liked to have seen more from her on her recent starts, but also, her only run on good to firm was by far her most disappointing; she trailed a remote 12th in the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot after her encouraging Classic result.

Trainer: Kevin Philippart de Foy. Form this season: 442. Official Rating: 107. Best odds: 25-1.

Cathedral has recently left the yard of Ralph Beckett to join new Amo Racing trainer Kevin Philippart de Foy at Freemason Lodge.

Second in the Oh So Sharp Stakes on her second start last Autumn, her reappearance in the Chartwell Stakes at Lingfield was disappointing, but she showed better form when finishing fourth in the Coronation Stakes, two and three-quarter lengths behind Cercene.

She was last seen finishing second in Group Three company at Chantilly and will need to show more. She does at least seemingly handle any ground.

Trainer: Joseph Murphy. Form this season: 32312. Official Rating: 113. Best odds: 5-1.

Cercene was a 33-1 winner of the Coronation Stakes back in June and, after connections aborted the idea to run in the Irish Oaks, she turned up at a rain-sodden Goodwood to contest the Nassau Stakes.

That race was over at the start, as the favourite Whirl was allowed an easy lead and won comfortably, but Murphy’s filly still finished second over a trip that may have just stretched her, and she surely has a big chance back over a mile on good ground.

Rated 2lb lower than Fallen Angel, she will be in receipt of 5lb weight-for-age allowance on Saturday.  With three-year-olds holding such a good record in the Matron, she cannot be discounted.

Trainer: Aidan O’Brien. Form this season: 24656. Official Rating: 110. Best odds: 16-1.

Despite being the Ballydoyle second string here, Exactly has ran well all season without winning and it would not be the biggest shock should she hit the frame.

She was unlucky not to finish closer in a messy French 1000 Guineas, ultimately hitting the line a length and a quarter behind Zarigana.

It is also worth remembering that whilst only fifth in the Prix Rothschild, she was beaten under three lengths by the winner, and she ran to a similar level when sixth in the City Of York Stakes last time against the colts. She will though, need to improve in this competitive event.

Trainer: Aidan O’Brien. Form this season: 8322. Official Rating: 115. Best odds: 3-1.

The big Ballydoyle hope is January, who is surely up there with Rosallion as being one of the most frustrating Group One horses to follow over the past year. She has bags of ability, yet ultimately has not managed to win for over a year. 

She twice bumped into Desert Flower as a juvenile and, after a below-par return in the Irish 1000 Guineas, finished third in the Coronation Stakes, second in the Falmouth Stakes, and then an even closer second in the Prix Rothschild.

As highlighted, she has a small weight swing with Fallen Angel this weekend and, like Cercene, is a three-year-old, which is a big positive on the trends.

Stay tuned for a prediction once declarations are in later this week.