Strong entry for Matron

A total of 38 horses have been entered for the Group 1 Coolmore Fastnet Rock Matron Stakes which will be one of the highlights on the opening day of Longines Irish Champions Weekend at Leopardstown on Saturday, September 12th.

The €300,000 event has attracted 11 entries from Britain, including Rizeena who chased home local heroine Fiesolana in last year's memorable renewal.

Clive Brittain's four-year-old finished second to David O'Meara's Amazing Maria in the Duke Of Cambridge Stakes at Royal Ascot last month. Cursory Glance won the Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes at the Curragh on Irish Champions Weekend last year and she could yet represent Roger Varian.

There are three entries from France including the French 1,000 Guineas winner Ervedya, trained by Jean-Claude Rouget, who edged out Aidan O'Brien's Found and Jim Bolger's Lucida to win the Group 1 Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot. Ervedya is unbeaten in three starts this season and could be joined by her stable companion Avenir Certain and the Alain de Royer-Dupré-trained Cladocera, who was third behind Amazing Maria at Royal Ascot.

Naturally, there is a strong entry from Ireland, headed by David Wachman's Legatissimo, the winner of the QIPCO 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket in May and the narrow runner-up in both the Investec Oaks at Epsom and the Group 1 Sea The Stars Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh on Sunday.

Jim Bolger's team of four entries is led by Lucida while Found, Together Forever, Kissed By Angels and the unbeaten Fluff and Words look best of Aidan O'Brien's entries.

Fiesolana gave trainer Willie McCreery his first Group 1 victory when winning the race last year and he has entered Devonshire, his Tattersalls Irish 1,000 Guineas third, while Dermot Weld has put both Brooch and last Friday night's wide margin Curragh winner Eshera in the race. John Oxx could be represented by My Titania.

Pat Keogh, Chief Executive of Leopardstown Racecourse, said: "Last year's Coolmore Fastnet Rock Matron Stakes was one on the highlights of the racing year, with three lengths covering the first eight horses home. This year we have another great race to look forward to with eight Group 1 winners in the field. The excitement is really building for Longines Irish Champions Weekend."