Fallen Angel has Matron Stakes gold in her sights

After returning to winning form in France last month, Fallen Angel now looks to settle some unfinished business with the Coolmore America ‘Justify’ Matron Stakes at Leopardstown.

Karl Burke’s star filly – who has now won Group Ones at two, three and four – bumped into Porta Fortuna when second in this contest 12 months ago, but now has the perfect chance to set the record straight, heading to the Irish capital in both top form and with optimum conditions.

Burke said: “She’s in great form and looks fantastic. She had a last canter on Thursday morning and she looked really well.

“The ground is going to be perfect for her, it looks like there’s a bit of pace in the race and she doesn’t have to make it.

“Fingers crossed she can run a huge race.”

Fallen Angel got the better of Aidan O’Brien’s January after a titanic duel in the Prix Rothschild and the Deauville rivals do battle once again, with the latter one of two Ballydoyle contenders alongside Exactly.

Joseph Murphy’s Coronation Stakes heroine Cercene returns to her Royal Ascot-winning distance after losing little in defeat on unsuitable ground up in trip against Whirl in the Nassau Stakes last time.

Again it is underfoot conditions which are limiting connections’ confidence, but Murphy is happy to return to a mile as his star filly attempts to book her ticket to the Breeders’ Cup.

“We’re back to the mile and it’s the next step towards America with her,” said Murphy.

“The problem is the ground and soft doesn’t really suit her. It turned in Goodwood and put paid to her in the Nassau and she’s a much better filly on better ground. It’s the way it is and I can’t do anything about that though.

“We’re happy to go back to the mile and we’re building up to the Filly & Mare Turf at Del Mar. We have to draw the plans and this is racing so it might not come off, but it’s ahead of her if all goes well.

“She’s back on a home track and it was either go for the Matron or supplement for the Champion Stakes. With the way the ground is, we are probably happier to have her in the Matron.”

Cathedral was fourth to Cercene at Royal Ascot and will make her first appearance for Kevin Philippart de Foy, while John James Feane has thrown Vera’s Secret in at the deep end having bravely made all to claim the Brownstown Stakes at this track earlier in the summer.

David Loughnane’s likeable performer Sparks Fly is another to make the trip from Britain and she will be having her first try in Group One company.

Loughnane said: “We had her in this and the Sceptre Stakes at Doncaster on Sunday and thankfully they have had more rain than anticipated in Leopardstown and it’s come up soft with the chance of more rain.

“We would have loved to have had another three runs this season, but the ground just hasn’t allowed, so we’ll see how we get on here.

“It’s a fairly ambitious tilt but I think the track will really suit her and we’re going to roll the dice.”