Snow Fairy well ahead of Japan test Ed Dunlop is delighted with Snow Fairy ahead of her run in the Queen Elizabeth II Commemorative Cup at Kyoto in Japan on Sunday. The dual Oaks winner was last seen failing to stay the trip in the St Leger but drops back to one mile and three furlongs this weekend. If she were to be successful, connections would pick up a huge bonus totalling over £1.4million, but Dunlop is well aware of the challenge which lies ahead. "The filly seems in good shape and we are pleased with the way things are going so far," said the Newmarket handler. "She lost about 10 kilos travelling but has put all that back on now so bearing in mind she was travelling further afield it's not too bad. "It's a learning curve so we'll have to see how she is but so far everything has been lovely. "She had a spin over a mile on Thursday and the ground is fast, which she likes. "I think there will be 18 runners, which is quite a few. There's a filly from Canada called Ave who used to be trained by Sir Michael Stoute, Apapane is the local hope, the fillies' Triple Crown winner, so we know it will be very tough. "I'm sure this trip will be far more suited to her than the St Leger where she flattened out in the last furlong and a half. She won her two-year-old maiden over six furlongs, so a mile and three should be fine. "She seems to be training well - she certainly was before she left England - so the vibes are good, but whether the opposition is too good only time will tell."
