Matron Stakes Tips: Homeless to hit the right notes

The Matron Stakes has had some cracking winners over the last decade, including Laurens, Legatissimo and Hydrangea. This year's race looks a strong renewal and whichever filly comes home in front will be a worthy winner of the Group One prize. Billy Grimshaw is our man in the previewing hot seat and after making her his best antepost bet of Royal Ascot before she heartbreakingly swerved the Coronation Stakes, there are no prizes for guessing which runner he's siding with...

Saffron Beach is one of the toughest and classiest fillies around these days and has really helped Jane Chappel-Hyam's recent emergence at the top table of European racing. A classy three year old, her form has taken a further step forward at four and she comes here in fine form having won the Group One Prix Rothschild last time out at Deauville. She won readily that day to back up her Royal Ascot success in the Duke of Cambridge Stakes and it would be foolish for anyone to think she won't be right in the mix come the final strides here.

Her last win over in France saw her finish two and a half lengths ahead of a back-to-form Tenebrism. Earlier in the season Aidan O'Brien's charge had been a warm order for Classic glory and although she never quite hit those heights this placed effort in France was a step back in the right direction. It's tough to make a case for her turning the form around with Saffron Beach, but she is certainly in the mix up for minor honours. Another O'Brien runner well touted earlier in the season and indeed throughout this campaign is Concert Hall. She is yet to show why she is thought of so highly on the track but the fact that she is always so well backed means the Ballydoyle battalion clearly keep the faith in her, so at odds of 25/1 at the time of writing the three year old could be a lively outsider.

There could only really be one selection for me in this race, however, and that is the Irish 1000 Guineas heroine HOMELESS SONGS for Dermot Weld. She began this campaign with a decent win in a Guineas trial which marked her out as high class, but it is what she did at the Curragh which meant wherever she turned up next she would be carrying my cash, The ease of which she pulled away from a good field, leaving Tuesday trailing over five lengths behind in second, stamped her out as a potential superstar. Weld has bided his time with his stable star and is insistent she doesn't want the ground too quick.

This caution robbed us of the potentially brilliant clash between her and Inspiral in the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot, but the patience could pay off if Homeless Songs is cherry ripe for today before a trip stateside for the Breeders' Cup. I cannot wait to see Chris Hayes' mount hopefully show off that devastating turn of foot once more and hopefully, as much as I respect particularly Saffron Beach in opposition, Homeless Songs can prove herself as an elite filly with another commanding victory. She is already the highest rated horse in the race and will receive weight from older rivals so I think at current prices she represents great value and is a confident pick to win the Matron.