ON THE HUNT FOR FUTURE WINNERS

Karl Hedley rounds up the best performances on Irish racecourses with a view to future success

- Karl Hedley

The weather is really starting to heat up in Ireland and so too is the action on the flat. I have reviewed some of the T performances that have really taken the eye over recent weeks and have provided quotes from trainers or jockeys of those horses who look to have decent prospects over the days and weeks ahead.

Odds-on-favourite Matrika hit as big as 5/1 in-running for the Group 2 Airlie Stud Stakes in the Curragh, but stamped her class on proceedings at the business end of this six-furlong race.

The seven runners split into two groups and Matrika led the stands'-side quartet, however, to the eye they were certainly in arrears of the far-side trio led by Do It With Style with two furlongs to travel.

Matrika showed good pace between the two and the one poles and, as the camera panned to a more side-on shot, it was clear that she was in front in the final 100 yards.

The 2/5 favourite powered home from two horses that chased her on the stands' side. Runner-up Gunzburg (11/1) was beaten a length and three-parts while third-placed Ashwiyaa was four lengths in arrears of the winner.

Matrika had been gunned down in second in the closing stages of the Group 3 Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot just over a week earlier. This brought up another opening-race double of Irish Derby weekend for Aidan O'Brien and Ryan Moore.

"She has a great constitution and we were very happy with her," said O'Brien.

"The first day she ran we were surprised because she's very lazy at home, we didn't really know what to expect but she won. Then she went to Ascot and ran a lovely race, but was a little green and babyish. Obviously she learned plenty from it again.

"She came out of the race, lost no weight. She doesn't blow at all; it takes nothing out of her - she's very natural. Ryan gave her a lovely ride.