Top Fillies Face Off in Matron Stakes

A rematch of top females is on tap Sept. 12 in the Coolmore America 'Justify' Matron Stakes (G1) at Leopardstown.

The big three—Fancy Blue, Peaceful, and Albigna—all clashed in the Tattersalls Irish One Thousand Guineas (G1) at the Curragh in mid-June.

Peaceful won the race in decisive fashion under a positive ride from Seamie Heffernan. She tracked the early pace, kicked for home two furlongs out, and scored snugly by two lengths from the staying-on Fancy Blue.

Albigna, the 6-5 favorite, could only finish sixth, with Shane Foley convinced the ground was too quick for her to do herself justice.

The three star fillies renew rivalry here, and Fancy Blue heads the betting, having won the Prix de Diane Longines (G1) at Chantilly and the Qatar Nassau Stakes (G1) at Goodwood since chasing home Peaceful at the Curragh.

Those gutsy wins were both over 10 furlongs, and the return to a mile worries Donnacha O'Brien, who has made an explosive start to his training career.

"I'd like it if this was over 10 furlongs, but I'd rather keep her in Ireland, and obviously there are no 10-furlong races for fillies this weekend over here," he said. "There is rain forecast … and I'd like for it to come, because any juice in the ground will make it that bit more of a stamina test, which will suit. She's had a little bit of a break since Goodwood and is in very good form again."

Fancy Blue is battle-hardened and will be doing her best work late on, so expect Ryan Moore to be positive on the highest-rated runner in the race with a mark of 114.

Peaceful was a neck behind Fancy Blue in France despite the race not going exactly the way Heffernan would have liked. You can understand why some believe the Chantilly form might be reversed, but she is returning from a 69-day break, and trainer Aidan O'Brien says she is only just ready to commence her autumn campaign. Perhaps she will not quite be 100%, and she will need to be.

"Peaceful had a break after France, and she's ready to start her autumn campaign," said the senior O'Brien, who will also send out Love Locket and So Wonderful. "We thought a mile was nice to start her back over. We will step her back up to a mile and a quarter for Arc weekend. She's a lovely, genuine filly. So Wonderful has always had a lot of ability and has been very good the last twice. Love Locket is a nice filly and didn't run badly at the Curragh last time. She was good when she won a group 3 earlier on this season at Leopardstown."

Albigna remains of interest, and she appears to have everything in her favor. Jessica Harrington seemed baffled by the way she was beaten in a group 3 at the Curragh 15 days ago, but it was her first outing since the Guineas in June and she might have needed it.

"Whether she didn't quite go through with it, was too ring rusty, or the ground was too soft for her, I'm not quite sure what to make of the last day with Albigna," said Harrington, who will also send out Valeria Messalina. "She was disappointing. I hope she's come on, she's been very good since, and I hope she's come back to herself. She hadn't run since the Irish Guineas, and it was a long time between the two races, so maybe she just needed it. It's a very good race, but she's still working like a very good filly at home.

"Valeria Messalina ran a hell of a race at Goodwood and is stepping back up to a mile for the first time since the Irish One Thousand Guineas. I'm very happy with her. She's bigger and stronger, and I think she will get the trip."

The trip, the track, and the ground are all perfect for Albigna this time, and one cannot help thinking this will be the stage for her to prove she has trained on from 2 to 3. She looks the value option in what is a fascinating affair.