HOW do you weigh up the season of Matilda Picotte? Mostly positive of course. She ran a fine race when second to Never Ending Story in the Priory Belle 1000 Guineas Trial on her seasonal debut at Leopardstown and then an even finer race when finding only Mawj and Tahiyra too good in the 1000 Guineas itself at Newmarket.

Group 1 blacktype doesn’t come easy but you’d forgive connections for being a little disappointed with her two races since - well held fourth to Little Big Bear back over six furlongs in the Sandy Lane, and beaten further again in admittedly very poor conditions for the Group 3 Oak Tree Stakes at Goodwood.

Blacktype is business when you’re dealing with fillies but you always want to win as well. Matilda Picotte has a fine chance of doing so in the Group 3 Fairy Bridge Stakes (3.45) over an extended seven furlongs at Tipperary tomorrow.

“We wouldn’t swap her for anything in the race,” her Laois-based trainer Kieran Cotter told The Irish Field. “We drew a line through Goodwood. We were disappointed at the time but she was coming back off a break, conditions were desperate and she ran too free up the hill in heavy ground.

“I’m looking forward to seeing her out again. I think the track and the trip will be no problem to her. She will like the the track most of all; a nice flat, easy seven and a bit. It’s fillies only and there wasn’t a whole lot else on the calendar. As it happens, this looks a right race for her.

“We’ll make a plan for her after but her one date in the book is the Tattersalls Sceptre Sale.”

The daughter of Sioux Nation had never finished outside of the top four prior to her previous run at Goodwood so conenctions have good ground to forget that effort. While this contest doesn’t look as taxing an affair, Joseph O’Brien has a fine record in these fillies’ races and sends out three, headed by Honey Girl who was unlucky last time.

On a decent card at Tipperary, Michael O’Callaghan will be hopeful Twilight Jet can return to winning ways in the Listed Abergwaun Stakes (4.20).

The Curragh-based trainer held huge hopes for the colt after he bolted up in the Group 3 Lacken Stakes last season and he was seen as a big contender in the Commonwealth Cup. However little went right for him in that race and mostly since, until he showed a little bit of sparkle when sixth to Commanche Falls in a listed contest at the Curragh in July.

Freshened up since that, he wears blinkers for the first time and could be one to look out for this autumn if he can get a confidence boosting win.

A Marvellous swansong?

IT’S probably fair to say it isn’t the most high profile Saturday in Britain but there is the potential for a nice story in the Listed William Hill Beverley Bullet Stakes (2.40).

The nine-year-old Tis Marvellous is bidding for his third win in a row in the five-furlong contest but win, lose or draw it will be his 47th and final start.

“I think it’s fair to say his form has waned a small bit this year, but his work at home is better than ever,” said his trainer Clive Cox.

“I’m really proud and pleased that he’s been such a wonderful servant over the years and we’ve targeted this race, being a race he’s won the last two years, and I think it’s fair to say and let everyone know that this will be his swansong and we’ll be retiring him afterwards.

“He’s giving us every confidence in his well-being at home and he’s getting to the time of life now where we’re keen to give him a last roll of the dice on a course that he loves so much.”

While Tis Marvellous could provide a popular result, among those trying to prevent that is his stablemate Kedros, who as a three-year-old, is right on the other end of his career.

He was just a neck away from a Royal Ascot success in the Palace of Holyroodhouse Stakes and warmed up for this by finished a very good fifth to Highfield Princess in the King George Qatar Stakes.

Cox added: “Kerdos has been a work in progress, but he’s a horse we hold in high regard.

“He had an amazing run at Royal Ascot and hopefully this is a perfect step for him to take at this time of year really. Both horses deserve to be there, so we’ll see what happens.”