Aljazzi could clash with Alpha Centauri in Matron Royal Ascot winner Aljazzi is on target for a clash with Alpha Centauri in the Coolmore Fastnet Rock Matron Stakes on Irish Champions Weekend. Marco Botti’s five-year-old won the Duke of Cambridge Stakes in June and has only raced once since then, when finishing fourth in the Prix Rothschild. There are three options remaining for her before a likely retirement but because she is at her best with time between her races, it is likely she will head to Leopardstown before signing off at Ascot in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes against the colts. “It’s still the plan to take her to Ireland for the Matron but we’ll have to see about the ground nearer the time,” said Botti. “She’s also in the Sun Chariot and at Ascot on Champions Day. “I’ve always wanted to take her back to Ascot as she definitely saves her best for there, but that would mean taking on the colts. “She needs a break between her races and there is a month between Ireland and Ascot so that’s fine but the Sun Chariot is too close to Ascot so if we go there, that would be it for the season and I imagine she’ll be retired at the end of the year.”
