My Titania - Like father, like daughter: The Sea The Stars filly My Titania was a huge eye-catcher on her debut run, without winning, though. So it was no surprise to see her being backed into the short 6/4 second favourite before the off of the opening race of Leopardstown's Irish Champion Stakes card. She justified all the money, travelling always prominent throughout and put the race easily to bed, quickening in good style approaching the home straight to win comfortably. Another Sea The Stars filly, Afternoon Sunlight, finished runner-up and could be also a rather promising sort.
My Titania boosts a nice pedigree, being a daughter of the mighty Sea The Stars of course. There looks to be a good deal of speed on the dam side, as she is out of 7f Listed race winner Fairy Of The Night, who herself is by top-class sprinter Danehill. But - and this is a similarity to My Titania's father Sea The Stars, who had doubts about his staying ability to overcome as well. She might be well able to get 10 furlongs plus in time, as her father being a Derby and Arc winner, the dam's sire has been producing a Derby winner as well, despite his race record would suggest otherwise, and the dam's dam has been a winner over 13f. So that relativise what looked obvious at the first glance. My Titania could be a decent Guineas filly of course, but might be even better over further. Time will tell. She looks an exciting prospect anyway.
Australia is the best ever: Aiden O'Brien was quite bullish in the aftermath of Australia's impressive success in the Group 3 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Trial Stakes. The Son of Galileo beat 2/5 favourite and early Derby ante-post favourite Free Eagle easily by six lengths. He followed up two excellent performances in maidens before at the Curragh. This performance catapulted Australia to the top top of the Derby ante-post market, being a 6/1 chance for the classic next year. O'Brien after the race on Saturday: "Everyone probably knows we always thought he was the best horse we've ever had."
Australia is bred to be a superstar. He is by super-stallion Galileo and out of Cape Cross mare Ouija Board, who was a seven times Group 1 winner herself! He'll be much better over further than the 1m on Saturday, that is for sure and it'll be interesting to see where he pops up next. O'Brien will keep the colt at the mile trip this year I would assume, but will step him up gradually in trip next year. One word in regards of runner-up Free Eagle: It probably is way too early to give up on him. He looks still an exciting prospect. Sure, he didn't quite followed up the hype after his impressive maiden, but he didn't get a hard race and should have still a good deal of improvement left in him, particularly when stepping up in trip.
La Colina is back to her best: It was an emotional Matron Stakes success for La Colina. The four year old filly was never able to match her massive juvenile form, when she beat Ballydoyle's Power in the Group 1 Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh - until last Saturday. She travelled well, got out in the clear right on time to produce a nice little turn of foot to win in good style in the end. This wasn't only her first Group success since Phoenix Stakes day - no - it was also her first ever win since then! This is more than two years ago, therefore no one really gave her a chance in the Matron Stakes. La Colina was tried over shorter than a mile and further, ran a couple of nice races, without ever coming close to win, though. So one could say this is a bit of a fairytale. Veteran trainer Kevin Prendergast gets a winner at the highest level, and talented jockey Chris Hayes finally won his first ever Group 1. Respectively he's been quite emotional after the race, with tears of joy running over his face.
The question is now of course: Can La Colina repeat this success, is she really back to her best? She is always been a talented filly, and she always looked like a superstar in the parade ring. She's beaten some nice fillies on Saturday and there is no reason to think that this isn't a true form. It was a fair race, ran on a pretty strong pace - which might be key to La Colina's success. Wherever she pops up next, if it is a true run race, she'll be certainly in the mix.
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