Trainer George Boughey is considering a trip to Kentucky with Soprano (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) following her third-place finish in the G1 Matron Stakes at Leopardstown on Saturday.
The Highclere-owned filly has thrived on a busy campaign and produced what was arguably a career-best effort when beaten just a length and a half behind Porta Fortuna (Ire) (Caravaggio) at Leopardstown, doing well under the circumstances to finish as close as she did after racing freely in the early stages.
Already a two-time winner in 2024, having won the Sandringham Stakes at Royal Ascot and the G3 Prix de Lieurey at Deauville, Soprano's placed effort when returning to the top table in the Matron fully justified the belief her trainer has always had in her, with a change of tactics said to be the key to her recent improvement.
“She's for a long time threatened to be a Group 1 filly and I was slightly scratching my head for a large part of her career so far,” said Boughey.
“I think a change of tactics has been a huge help to her going forward. She was given a brilliant ride by Billy [Loughnane] on Saturday to get the position she did from a wide gate and she possibly used a bit of juice to get there, so I'm very proud of her and it was good to see her back at that level.
“Huge credit has to go to Charles Eddery, who rides her every day at home and travelled her over to Ireland the other day. He knows her inside out and was very bullish that she'd be in the shake-up against some very good fillies. Not many win four Group 1s, as Porta Fortuna has this year, and there was a Classic winner [Fallen Angel] in second, so she's mixing it with the very best.”
Considering future plans, Boughey added, “She may well go to Keeneland for the QEII on October 12. It's a nine-furlong, three-year-old fillies only Grade I that is worth just shy of $1 million, so that's a possible plan for her next.”
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
