Snow Fairy, Nathaniel headline Irish Champion

Snow Fairy is one of the shining examples of how the new distaff program in

Europe has benefited racing as a whole and she looks to put the boys in the

shade in Saturday's Group 1 Irish Champion at Leopardstown.

Despite being short of her absolute best on her return from a serious tendon

injury in Deauville's Group 1 Prix Jean Romanet over the same 1 1/4-mile trip

August 19, the five-year-old still managed to put a clutch of Group 1 winners in

their place. On that evidence, there is a chance that she could be better than

ever as she attempts to go one better than her second to So You Think here 12

months ago.

"She's come out of her last race incredibly well and didn't lose a huge

amount of weight going to France and back," trainer Ed Dunlop commented. "She is

fresh and well and Frankie (Dettori) was happy with her when he rode her in a

piece of work the other day.

"Probably the best run of her life came here last year against So You Think,

so the track suits and the ground is drying up dramatically. We're under no

illusions, as it's as competitive a race as last year. She's not like normal

horses, who would have been retired with the injury she had -- she has a huge

will to win and is very tough and she quickens well, but this is going to be a

stiff stamina test."

Snow Fairy's presence could mean that for the second run in succession,

Nathaniel is denied a top-level victory by a member of the female brigade

following his nose defeat by Danedream in the Group 1 King George VI and Queen

Elizabeth at Ascot July 21. He had previously beaten the solid yardstick Farhh

in Sandown's Group 1 Eclipse July 7, but this is the first time that he has

tackled this trip on fast ground.

"He's in good order, but this is very much a prep for the (Group 1 Prix de

l'Arc de Triomphe)," trainer John Gosden explained. "He's in form, but he's not

really fully wound up for a race like this."

The likely surface will help St Nicholas Abbey, who tries again at this

distance following his third behind Frankel and Farhh in the Group 1 Juddmonte

International at York August 22. The dual Group 1 Coronation Cup and Grade 1

Breeders' Cup Turf hero needs to prove he is as effective at this intermediate

trip, but he has never looked short of speed and Aidan O'Brien's remarkable

record of seven wins since the millennium year means that he is worthy of

maximum respect.

Born to Sea demonstrated stamina when running Camelot to two lengths in the

Group 1 Irish Derby at The Curragh June 30, but his subsequent 6 1/2-length

defeat by Famous Name in the Group 2 Royal Whip over this trip at that Kildare

venue leaves him with something to find here.

Last year's winner Emulous bids for back-to-back renewals of the Group 1

Matron on Saturday with a question to answer following her latest flop at Royal

Ascot. Only seventh when favorite in the Group 2 Windsor Forest June 20, Khalid

Abdullah's five-year-old had previously offered evidence that she was as good as

last year when annexing The Curragh's Group 3 Ridgewood Pearl May 26 and a

subsequent break may have freshened her.

"She's a better filly in the autumn and the ground was maybe a little too

fast for her at Royal Ascot," trainer Dermot Weld told PA Sport. "I'd always

planned an autumn campaign for her and this is the start of it. She was very

good in this last year and let's hope she can be as good this year. She loves a

bit of ease in ground, so I wouldn't want to see the Leopardstown ground drying

out too much but hopefully it will be beautiful ground."

Of the three-year-olds, Maybe tries again after a disappointing fifth in the

Group 1 Falmouth at Newmarket July 13. Lack of match practice and trip may have

been the excuses for her previous flops in the Group 1 One Thousand Guineas at

Newmarket and Group 1 Oaks, but she ran flat on her latest start and has been

rested since.

Another sophomore with claims is Duntle, who overcame testing ground to beat

Ballybacka Lady in the August 16 Desmond over the Matron one-mile course and

distance, while the Group 2 Prix de Sandringham winner Laugh Out Loud is another

back from a break after a latest flop when sixth in the Group 1 Coronation at

Royal Ascot June 22.

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