Weld Filly the best option in Leopardstown Group 3 The Group 3 Stanerra Stakes at Leopardstown this evening is an intriguing contest for three-year-old and older fillies over one mile six furlongs. The majority of the eleven runners are unproven over this distance so it will be fascinating to see which ones take to the increased test of stamina. Roger Varian has a good record in this race having won with Believe In Love in 2021 and last season sent over Lady Hayes to finish third behind Rosscarbery and Emily Dickinson in a competitive renewal. This year he is represented by the four-year-old Frankel filly Divine Jewel and with his stable in top form across the water she must be highly respected. Varian is operating at an 18% strike rate in recent weeks and while Divine Jewel has only an all-weather victory to her name in nine starts she has run some solid races in defeat, is proven over the distance and is not without her chance with Champion jockey Colin Keane aboard for this assignment. Aidan O’Brien saddles four three-year-olds fillies, but with Ryan Moore riding for the stable at Newmarket today, Wayne Lordan on the sidelines following his fall in the Irish Derby and Seamie Heffernan serving a whip suspension, the Champion trainer has called on the services of Dylan Browne McMonagle, Niall McCullagh, Leigh Roche and Mikey Sheehy to partner his quartet. None of the Ballydoyle runners have raced over this distance before, but all have middle distance pedigrees so stamina shouldn’t be too much of an issue. The best of them today could be the last time out winner Library, the mount of Browne McMonagle. She won an Oaks Trial in determined fashion at Naas last month and looks the type to progress over this type of distance and can be expected to make the frame. There is a lot to like about the chances of Dermot Weld’s Aga Khan filly Shamida who looks to be improving and despite coming here off the back of a just a Maiden victory over the course in May could well be the one to side with. She was strongly supported to win her Maiden and that race is working out particularly well, the second (Scarlett O’Hara runs here) and the third both won next time out and Weld said after that race: “I think it was a very good maiden, they ran it from pillar to post. Ryan brought them some gallop and I think you'll see a lot of winners coming out of that race. I was very pleased with our filly, she's progressive and hopefully we can go on and get some black-type with her next time. She's a filly that's coming forward, every time she's run she's run better. I think she'll continue to progress.” Scarlett O’Hara has only half a length to find with Shamida from their running here in May and will now sport the Cheek-pieces she subsequently wore to victory at the Curragh. Shane Foley missed the ride on Scarlett O’Hara in the Curragh Maiden due to injury, but is back on board today and while the pair have an obvious chance it will be disappointing if Shamida doesn’t confirm her superiority over her old rival and should be enough to see her back in the Leopardstown winner’s enclosure. Elsewhere on the Leopardstown card this evening Noel Meade’s Encosta looks to have a leading chance in the three-year-old handicap at 5.45pm. This filly was only beaten a neck over the course last time out and will be suited by this slightly shorter trip. If Chris Hayes can bounce her out of stalls from her plum draw on the rails she will be difficult to pass. If you are thinking of placing bets on this evening's fixture at Leopardstown keep an eye out for bet365's 'Bet Boost.' The leading internet bookmaker enhances the odds of one horse per race on all Irish and UK racing.
