Hayes eager to see Homeless Songs in Matron Stakes Chris Hayes has a great book of rides to look forward to at the Longines Irish Champions Weekend in September and the jockey spoke to Dave Keena about Irish 1,000 Guineas winner Homeless Songs who is set for a Group One assignment, ground permitting. "The plan is Longines Irish Champions Weekend for the Coolmore Matron Stakes. It was one of the races we were targeting all year for her. Unfortunately due to the ground being so quick throughout the summer, she had a little mid-season break. She has come back from that well. All roads now lead to Leaopardstown," Hayes said. "Physically she has done well, she has filled into her frame. She has toned up and muscled up, and really bloomed over the summer. The fine weather has done her good physically. "Obviously, you would have liked to have seen her competing at those big races during the summer. It is a plus that she is going to be coming in fresh. Provided the ground is safe, she will line up. "It is very frustrating (to miss those days). Her last bit of work before Ascot I thought she felt better than she did going into the Guineas. Hopefully everything will go well with her prep right up to champions weekend and hopefully we can get a little bit of juice underfoot. They normally produce nice ground and, if it is safe racing ground, she will have her go. "Look at Tarnawa last year, I think she had only three runs last season and she ran to the highest level in every run. He (Dermot Weld) is well capable of producing them on the big day. She is a filly that just fills you with confidence so you just hope conditions will suit. If they don't, we will have to regroup. "She wouldn't be one to go on extremes. They have produced good ground all year on the Thursday meetings up at Leopardstown. We just hope the man above will throw a little drop of rain on the ground and make it just perfect."
