Winter 'has missed some time and will come forward' says O'Brien

5.35 Leopardstown
Coolmore Fastnet Rock Matron Stakes | Group 1 | 1m| RTE2/ATR

We have been loving Winter all summer but her attempt to win five Group 1s on the trot has been made more difficult by a small setback after she galloped her rivals into submission at Goodwood in the Nassau Stakes.

Could that open the door for her rivals?

"Winter missed some time after Goodwood," trainer Aidan O'Brien said on Friday. "She had a bruised foot and we had to give her seven or eight easy days to let it settle down. She has been in good form and I'm happy with her but we do think she will come forward from this run."

Winter has been the outstanding three-year-old miler this season, using a narrow defeat here to Hydrangea in a 1,000 Guineas trial over 7f as the springboard to a stunning campaign. She was an emphatic winner of the 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket on good to firm going, but coped admirably with yielding ground when taking the Irish equivalent at the Curragh by a wide margin from stablemate Roly Poly.

Roly Poly was again in Winter's wing mirrors when she claimed the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot and defeat never looked likely when she was upped to a mile and a quarter at Goodwood for the Nassau Stakes, which was run on soft ground.

Roly Poly to finally get her revenge?

Winter has already proved she is better than stablemates Roly Poly, Rhododendron and Hydrangea at her best, but can she confirm that form if a little off-colour?

Roly Poly followed up her Falmouth Stakes success by again beating her elders in the Prix Rothschild at Deauville and, while she will be making her 15th appearance, she seems to be getting better with every run.

"Roly Poly beat the older fillies last time and that was a very good performance in France," said O'Brien. "She is very consistent and tough and we have been very happy with her since Deauville."

Rhododendron was hot favourite to beat Winter in the 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket but she got stuck in traffic and had to settle for second. The Oaks runner-up was then pulled up in the Prix de Diane and arrives on a retrieval mission. Hydrangea completes the quartet from Ballydoyle.

O'Brien said: "Rhododendron is just ready to start back and she will improve a lot for the run. Hydrangea is a good, consistent filly who never lets us down and should run well."

Persuasive leads strong raiding party

Persuasive had to settle for second behind Alice Springs 12 months ago but is a year older, wiser and stronger as she attempts to go one better. She is fresher than most, too, as this will be only her second start of the season.

"It looks a very hot edition of the race this year and she's drawn wide enough but hopefully she can get a good position before the bend," said trainer John Gosden.

"She's come on for her run in France and it's always been our intention to come back here with her as she finished second in it last year. She won't mind any cut in the ground and has an each-way chance."

Qemah was a hot favourite for this contest last year. Punters piled into her following stylish Group 1 wins in the Coronation Stakes and the Prix Rothschild, but she spoiled her chance by racing freely in the early stages and had to settle for third.

The big question mark hanging over Qemah is whether she is as talented at four as she was at three because she has suffered defeats in a Group 3 at Lingfield and the Prix Rothschild. Sandwiched in between was a narrow Royal Ascot success in the Duke of Cambridge Stakes.

It would not be a major surprise were she to bounce back again and add a third Group 1 to her CV, but stall 12 will make that feat more difficult.

Wuheida made Roly Poly pull out all the stops in the Falmouth, and trainer Charlie Appleby feels this test will suit her better than the 1m3f German Oaks, in which she finished third last time.

Appleby said: "She was obviously stretched when third, running over a mile and three in the German Oaks last time, but she's come out of that well. She looks great, she's done everything right and the ground is fine for her. She comes back in trip, but based on her second in the Falmouth Stakes that should suit."