Qemah star turn in Matron Stakes at Leopardstown
Thursday 8 September 2016 11:56, UK
Star French filly Qemah is the headline act among eight fillies declared for the Coolmore Fastnet Rock Matron Stakes at Leopardstown.
Jean-Claude Rouget's three-year-old chases at Group One hat-trick on Saturday evening following impressive displays in the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot and the Prix Rothschild at Deauville.
With the brilliant Minding instead taking on the boys in the Irish Champion Stakes, trainer Aidan O'Brien relies upon Alice Springs, who won Newmarket's Falmouth Stakes on her penultimate start but was no match for Qemah when well-beaten in France last time.
The highest-rated runner is the Adrian Keatley-trained Jet Setting, who inflicted a shock defeat upon Minding in the Irish 1,000 Guineas before finishing sixth in the Coronation Stakes.
Persuasive steps up to the highest level for the first time having won each of her previous five starts for John Gosden. She is joined on the trip across the Irish Sea by Hugo Palmer's Hawksmoor.
Andrew Slattery's prolific filly Creggs Pipes, Willie McCreery's Godolphin runner Devonshire and Now Or Never from Michael O'Callaghan's stable complete the field.
