'Tahiyra's ready to go' - Dermot Weld takes aim with red-hot favourite in his bid for a fourth Matron Stakes

Given that only one favourite has obliged in the last decade – Legatissimo in 2015 – and that the last two winners have been 25-1 and 16-1, it is only natural to feel slightly uneasy about taking a shade of odds-on about Tahiyra. But she is unquestionably the best three-year-old filly in training.

Only once has Tahiyra been defeated. That was in the 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket when she was mastered by Mawj, but Dermot Weld made no secret of the fact she wasn't at concert pitch stepping on to that stage and he would have loved an extra fortnight to enhance her fitness.

Since then she has displayed a sparkling turn of foot to win slowly run races in the Irish 1,000 Guineas and the Coronation Stakes. This time she has a nice draw in stall four and, barring bad luck in running, she should win. She deserves to be the price she is.

Meditate has blinkers on for the first time, but it is very hard to have confidence in Aidan O'Brien's filly, while Zarinsk's love of Leopardstown is probably cancelled out by the fact she has 10lb to find on the figures with the favourite and could face a battle for early supremacy.

Just Beautiful likes to lead, too, but she doesn't have to go from the front. She's smart when she gets her ideal conditions and has been kept fresh for this. She looks overpriced at 11-1 for last year's winning trainer Paddy Twomey.

The last time this prize went for export was 2018 thanks to Laurens, and the visiting team is this time made up of Prosperous Voyage, Olivia Maralda and Rogue Millennium. All three would probably need a career best to win, but the Ralph Beckett-trained Prosperous Voyage did upset Inspiral to land last year's Falmouth Stakes so should not be dismissed lightly.

'I've been very satisfied with how she has progressed since Ascot'

Dermot Weld would appear to hold the key to the first Group 1 of the Irish Champions Festival.

Weld has never made any secret of the fact that Tahiyra never sparkles in her homework, but he has expressed his satisfaction with her progress since landing her third Group 1 in the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot back in June.

He said: "Tahiyra is well and I've been well satisfied with her. She's all set to run. As I've always said, she's not an impressive work horse at home, so you're not suddenly going to get any great work out of her or anything like that, but I've been very satisfied with how she has progressed since Ascot and she's ready to go."

Weld is chasing his fourth win in the Matron having been successful with Valley Forge in 1977, Dress To Thrill in 2002 and Emulous in 2011.

What they say

Joseph O'Brien, trainer of Jumbly
She's in good form since her good run in America and has a nice draw. It would be great if she could finish in the first three.

Paddy Twomey, trainer of Just Beautiful
We're looking forward to it. We've had to be patient and wait for her conditions – she wants fast ground and gets that here. The track, the trip and the ground will all suit so we're hoping for a big run.

Ralph Beckett, trainer of Prosperous Voyage
She's in first-time blinkers and I'm looking forward to it. The track should suit her.

Tom Clover, trainer of Rogue Millennium
She's been fantastic for us and the Rogues Gallery who own her, and she put up a really good performance to win at Royal Ascot. She wasn't absolutely bang on at Deauville last time, but that form has worked out well and she'll be seen to better advantage over this stiffer mile. I'd be absolutely thrilled if she were in the first three.

Johnny Murtagh, trainer of Cadeau Belle
I know it's going to be a good race, but it's the kind of race I had in mind all the time for her. She's been working well again, the hood is on and that should help her relax.

Aidan O'Brien, trainer of Meditate
Dermot's filly [Tahiyra] is very good and Meditate has form tied in with her last year. Her form has tailed off a little bit this year, but we've given her a break and she has slowly built back up. She has been working in blinkers recently and that has been going well. We're hoping that blinkers might spark her up a bit, and running around a bend will suit. But Dermot's filly will be very hard to beat.

Roger Varian, trainer of Olivia Maralda
It's a tough race, but we think she'll appreciate the step up to a mile around a turning track. Unfortunately she's drawn in the car park which will make it a challenge.

Read the rest of today's previews:

1.35 Kempton: Plan B for Bay Bridge as he makes a belated return to the all-weather 

1.50 Haydock: 'It's his easiest task to date' - analysis and key quotes for Superior Mile   

2.15 Leopardstown: 'He really only got going in the last 50 yards' - Diego Velazquez out to justify the hype in Champions Juvenile Stakes   

3.00 Haydock: 'It looks the ideal race for her' - Ebor sixth bids to gain valuable compensation at Haydock   

3.20 Leopardstown: 'We will see a different Auguste Rodin this time' - key quotes for the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown  

3.35 Haydock: 'We've all got Shaquille to beat' - can anyone lower the colours of hot favourite in Sprint Cup? 

3.55 Leopardstown: Lord Massusus out to back up impressive Desmond Stakes win in Group 2 Dullingham Stakes for Joseph Murphy 

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