Alpha Centauri Debutante Stakes (Fillies' Group 2)

Off time: 14:50 | Winning time: 1m 25.28s

(2)

Alpha³⁰

Age: 2| Weight: 9-2| J: Wayne Lordan| T: A P O'Brien| OR: 102| CD

4/6

Sea The Stars filly out of Irish 1000 Guineas winner Alpha Centauri. Impressive winner of a C&D maiden in June. Did plenty wrong but still held on by a head from Dancing Destiny in Group 3 Silver Flash over 7f at Leopardstown since. More to come and the one to beat again.

Form: 211

Image of Stars that are filled with the colour gold

(4)

Blonde Over Blue^t1³⁰

Age: 2| Weight: 9-2| J: Chris Hayes| T: J P O'Brien| D

40/1

Beat Alpha to make a winning debut at Leopardstown in June but 4½ lengths adrift of her when fourth of 6 in the Silver Flash at Leopardstown (7f, good to firm) 30 days ago. A tongue tie is reached for after that and McMonagle looks elsewhere.

Form: 14

(3)

Dancing Destiny³⁰

Age: 2| Weight: 9-2| J: Declan McDonogh| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 101

12/1

Added to her Roscommon debut success at the third attempt when finding plenty in a Naas listed race (1m) last month. Improved again when head second of 6 to Alpha in Group 3 Silver Flash at Leopardstown (7f, good to firm) 30 days ago.

Form: 13412

(1)

Green Empress⁵⁶

Age: 2| Weight: 9-2| J: Dylan Browne McMonagle| T: J P O'Brien

11/4

Runner-up to Sun Goddess in 2 6f starts here in the first half of the summer, closing to within ¾ length of that subsequent Group 1 winner in Group 2 Airlie Stud latterly. Looks sure to progress again on first start over 7f and stands out as the main danger to Alpha.

Form: 22

(5)

Ibelieveicanfly^h¹³

Age: 2| Weight: 9-2| J: Ronan Whelan| T: A P O'Brien| BF| CD

6/1

Frankel filly who made it fourth time lucky when seeing off 13 rivals over C&D with a hood added (retained) 13 days ago. Useful but she was no match for reopposing stablemate Alpha when the pair clashed over C&D in June.

Form: 4241

Forecasts

Alpha (4/6), Green Empress (11/4), Ibelieveicanfly (6/1), Dancing Destiny (12/1), Blonde Over Blue (40/1)

ALPHA only scraped home from Dancing Destiny in the Silver Flash but the impression she made when slamming some useful opposition in a C&D maiden prior to that is still fresh in the memory and she can prove too strong for Green Empress, who gave Sun Goddess something to think about in a 6f course Group 2 last time.