Who To Follow On Day One Of The Irish Champions Weekend

One of our best bets of the day at Leopardstown comes in the Group One Matron Stakes over a mile and Mother Earth is just a class above this field.

Mother Earth has been one of the stars of the mile fillies division this term running superbly in two Group One events and off the back of those she is the worthy favourite for this event.

The filly was a fair juvenile landing a Group Three event on her third start, and then towards the end of last season finishing second at the Breeders' Cup meeting in a Group One and also finishing a good third in the Group One Fillies' Mile.

The yard did not know what to expect for the daughter of Zoffany but on seasonal debut this term she managed to land the 1000 Guineas in taking style.

Off the back of that she was sent to France looking to land the 1000 Guineas double, but she could only finish second, giving another good account of herself.

Next time out the filly was seen finishing a close third behind Alcohol Free and Snow Lantern at Royal Ascot, but reversed some of the form when a narrow second in the Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket.

Looking to get back to winning ways she went to France for the Group One Prix Rothschild and beat off a strong field of 13 runners to land the event.

She is a dual Group One winner over a mile that should have too much for this field.

The trainer to follow on Saturday is the superb Joseph O'Brien who has some live chances in the big races across the day at Leopardstown.

One of his best chances of the afternoon comes in the Group Two Champions Juvenile Stakes with Maritime Wings looking difficult to beat.

Other big chances for the handler are Pretty Gorgeous in the Matron Stakes and Thunder Moon in the Group Two Boomerang Stakes.

O'Brien has managed to land 10 winners over the last two weeks and will be looking to add to it this weekend.

The jockey to follow on Saturday in Ireland is Shane Kelly who towards the end of the card has some really nice chances that could see him in the winners enclosure.

In the Group Three Paddy Power Stakes he fields the Johnny Murtagh trained Earlswood who is the favourite and looks tough to beat on the best of his form.

In the last race of the day he sits on the Qatar Racing owned Riot who makes his second start in Ireland since moving over from John & Thady Gosden.