leading 1,000 Guineas fancy Kitty Rose returns to action
It may have been the curtain-raiser for the Irish Champions Festival but the very first of the 16 races produced one of the most impressive performances of the entire weekend when Kitty Rose burst clear under Billy Lee to land the Listed Ingabelle Stakes.
Trainer Natalia Lupini has enjoyed another cracking campaign and is set to end the season in level-stakes profit once again, and Kitty Rose is the latest star to emerge from her Banbridge base in County Down.
Best known for her exploits with the prolific Dunun, Lupini has never hidden her admiration for Kitty Rose and she was slashed to 16-1 by BoyleSports for next year's 1,000 Guineas after her emphatic Leopardstown victory. Those odds will probably plummet further if she makes it three from three in the Group 3 Staffordstown Stud Stakes (1.45) at the Curragh.
Lupini said of Kitty Rose: "She seems in great form and came out of her win at Leopardstown very well. We're keeping a close eye on the ground and wouldn't want to run her on heavy. We'll monitor the situation as we've had a lot of rain here over the last few days.
"She looks to have a lot of ability and she seems to have stepped forward and improved again since Leopardstown."
Aidan O'Brien is chasing a record-extending 11th win in this Group 3 and is double-handed with Brilliant and Content.
The trainer said of the pair: "Brilliant has been running well all season and seems to be in good form. She's stepping back up to a mile but we think it will suit her.
"Content didn't do things right the last day again. We're trying to teach her how to race properly and hopefully she will start to learn."
Joseph O'Brien sent out Lumiere Rock to land the spoils last year and has solid claims in his search for a repeat in Cork maiden winner Unreasonable.
O'Brien said: "Unreasonable won quite nicely on her debut and she has earned a jump into stakes company with that. This looks a very good race but we're hoping she might be able to get some black type."
Chesham winner Snellen is also among the ten-runner field as she bids to restore her reputation following a poor effort on her last visit to the track in the Debutante Stakes, when she trailed in last of the eight runners.
A field of 14 has been declared for the Listed Darley Irish EBF Brigid's Pastures Stakes (3.30) where the Andy Slattery-trained Bells On Her Toes drops in trip but is 6lb clear on official figures.
She has improved from a mark of 76 at the start of the season to 103 now and, while all her best form is over 7f, Slattery is hoping for a generous early pace to bring out her stamina.
The trainer said: "She's had some season. We always thought she was a very good two-year-old but she just didn't fulfil her early potential. She is now! You'd rather it was over seven than six, but hopefully they go quick. She needs a fast pace. The softer the ground the better for her and she's in great form."
The ultra-consistent Aussie Girl is among her biggest dangers, while William Haggas has booked Chris Hayes for Nottingham specialist . They teamed up to win the Irish Lincolnshire earlier in the season with Lattam and this improving three-year-old sprinter is sure to be popular with punters, having won two of her last three starts.
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