Matron Stakes Tips & Betting Preview

Won last year by Alice Springs, this Group 1 contest over the mile distance has been dominated by three year olds for the past two seasons. The three year olds have a strong hand again this year as they look to bag a hat-trick for the classic generation, our 2017 Matron Stakes tips and betting preview can be found below.

IN SUMMARY: It’s quite simply impossible to look past WINTER, who bids for her fifth Group 1 victory on the bounce here and looks like getting it under Ryan Moore. She won the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot ahead of Roly Poly two starts ago and followed up that run when winning the Nassau Stakes at Glorious Goodwood last time. She will be fine dropping back to the mile here and with conditions to suit, the star filly of the season can cement herself once again. The obvious one for second is Persuasive, who shaped well on seasonal debut behind Roly Poly and can reverse those positions.

1 DIAMOND FIELDS – Four year old who has a huge amount to find with the market principles rated fourteen pounds inferior to Winter at the top of the market. She was last seen at this venue only able to muster up sixth in a Group 3 and she looks completely out of her depth here.

2 LAGANORE – Course and distance winner who finished second in a Listed race at the Curragh back in June but that’s nowhere near the standard needed to win a race of this nature. Her third in the Pretty Polly Stakes on her latest start wasn’t a bad effort, but she was merely picking up the pieces that day and it’s impossible to make a case for her here in a much tougher Group 1.

3 PERSUASIVE – Finished second in this race last year for John Gosden and she made her seasonal debut in the Prix Rothschild on her latest start in July. She was around two lengths behind Roly Poly that day, looking as though she needed the run and a turnaround with Roly Poly would be no surprise under Frankie Dettori. She goes on any ground and looks the obvious runner to complete the forecast with Winter.

4 QEMAH – Dual Royal Ascot winner who won the Duke Of Cambridge Stakes at that event in June, though was a disappointing beaten favourite on her latest start in the Prix Rothschild behind Roly Poly. She is invariably capable of better and rates as a big danger, especially as she finished third in this race in 2016. Gregory Benoist takes the ride for the red-hot Jean-Claude Rouget yard and she looks sure to play her hand.

5 BEAN FEASA – Won a Group 3 at Leopardstown back in May over the mile trip but her second attempt at beyond that distance was less than fruitful, well beaten in the Irish Oaks as she failed to stay the trip and was very much outclassed. This race is no easier and faces a very tough task to even place here. Impossible to recommend.

6 HYDRANGEA – Beat Winter here in April but that rival has improved beyond comprehension, while this filly hasn’t improved at all. She was no match for Winter when brushed aside in the Nassau Stakes at Glorious Goodwood and a turnaround with the aforementioned rival would be a huge surprise under Wayne Lordan. She goes on any ground but that does little to enhance her claims here.

7 INTRICATELY – Caused a big shock when winning the Moyglare last season at odds of 25/1, beating Hydrangea and Rhododendron with a strong late burst to lead on the line. She’s been nowhere near that level since though and has suffered seven heavy defeats since. The blinkers now go on to try and prompt something but she’s going to face a struggle here.

8 RHODODENDRON – Finished second in both the 1000 Guineas (behind Winter) and Epsom Oaks for Aidan O’Brien, sustaining and injury on her latest start when attempting to win the French Oaks. She looks to have a tough task in reversing terms with Winter and Ryan Moore agrees by sticking by Winter, with this three year old now risky after that latest run. She’s an each way contender at her very best, but that’s not guaranteed.

9 ROLY POLY – Daughter of War Front who has been at her best this season, winning the Falmouth Stakes on her penultimate start before a gutsy success to take the Prix Rothschild at Deauville in July. A strong stayer at this trip who is tactically versatile, she can make the pace or track it in equally successful measures. She has form at this level and has had a similar preparation as last year’s winner Alice Springs, which makes her all the more interesting. Place claims under Seamie Heffernan, as a win over Winter would be quite a shock.

10 UNFORGETTABLE FILLY (NON RUNNER) –

11 WINTER – Arrives looking for a fifth straight Group 1 for Aidan O’Brien, with the sequence beginning with a comfortable win in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket and would continue with successes in the Irish 1000 Guineas and the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot. She was upped to the 1m 2f trip on her latest start in softer conditions, with questions about her stamina and suitability for the ground. She blew those queries out of the water with a brilliant performance, keeping on strongly to win with a bit in hand. She will be fine back down to the mile distance and is undoubtedly the class of this field, looking imperious and very tough to beat.

12 WUHEIDA – British raider for Charlie Appleby who’s had only four runs and has won two of them. This daughter of Dubawi won her first two starts, with the second of those being a Group 1 at Chantilly ahead of an Aidan O’Brien horse who has franked the form since. She returned this season with a good second to Roly Poly in the Falmouth Stakes before an underwhelming third in the German Oaks, though the trip can be blamed there. She will be much happier returned to the mile as there should be a strong pace on offer in this contest which can tow her into the race. She goes on any surface and is another each way player under James Doyle.