Dunlop upbeat about Snow Fairy Trainer Ed Dunlop believes "all the signs are good" for Snow Fairy as she bids for a seventh Group One success in the Red Mills Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown on Saturday evening. The five-year-old mare added even more value to her incredible CV when she made a perfect return from a career-threatening injury in last month's Prix Jean Romanet at Deauville. Dunlop reports Snow Fairy to have touched down in Ireland in rude health and is confident of a big run - especially with the drying ground in her favour. "She's travelled over well. Let's hope the ground continues to dry out," said the Newmarket handler. "I think it's going to be beautiful racing ground and I don't think anyone will have too many excuses. "I don't think it's going to inconvenience any of the others, but it will certainly help us, rather than hinder us. "I've already said I wouldn't have run her if it was slow ground, so we're happy with the way things are working out with the weather. "It's a Group One race and anything can happen. "Obviously Nathaniel is there, St Nicholas Abbey is a very capable horse, and then you've got the three-year-olds. "Our filly seems to have taken her race at Deauville well. "She ought to be a little less ring-rusty on Saturday and when Frankie Dettori came and rode her work on Tuesday he was very happy. "All the signs are good, but you don't really know until you run them. "If she can reproduce last year's performance when she was a close second to So You Think, she shouldn't be far away again." After her narrow defeat here 12 months ago, Snow Fairy went on to finish third in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and the Qipco Champion Stakes at Ascot. While the same races are possible targets again, Dunlop is keen not to look to far ahead. "After the injury she had, I think it's sensible to take each race as it comes," said the trainer. "She's in all the relevant and suitable races and obviously the ground is an important factor. "Let's just try and enjoy Saturday, hope everything goes well, and then we can think about future targets." Dettori is back in the saddle for the first time since last year's Arc as he takes over from the injured Ryan Moore. He said: "I rode her the other day and she's in good form. "She's a superstar and you know she is always going to try her best. "It's a very competitive race, but I am looking forward to it. "It's great to have her back." Nathaniel joins Snow Fairy on the trip across the Irish Sea aiming to secure his third success at the highest level. Last year's King George hero made a winning return in the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown and went down fighting when relinquishing his King George crown to Germany filly Danedream. The four-year-old heads the betting for the Irish Champion, but trainer John Gosden warns his charge may not be at his absolute peak, with the Arc his major objective. Gosden said: "He's in good order but this is very much a prep for the Arc. "I have the Arc in mind as the target and this is a road on the way, if you like. "He's in form but he's not really fully wound up for a race like this. "It's very much the Arc we're looking at." Stable jockey William Buick has plenty of faith in Nathaniel, but is wary of the challenge posed by Snow Fairy. He said: "I'm confident (in my horse), but I have huge respect for Snow Fairy as she came back after a long absence and she won a tough Group One. "I rode him in work last week and I was very happy with him. "He's been in good form all year and is ready for another race now. "He's a horse that had two relatively quick runs in the King George and the Eclipse and took it very well. "He's a tough horse and now, after a bit of a break, he's bouncing."
