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Matilda Picotte was an impressive winner of the Group 3 Sceptre Fillies’ Stakes at Doncaster on Sunday, with favourite Cachet unable to land a blow on her seasonal return.
The Kieran Cotter-trained filly has been a consistent performer for the yard, winning the Listed Bosra Sham Stakes at the end of her juvenile campaign. Second in the Group 3 1000 Guineas Trial at the start of the year, the daughter of Sioux Nation out-ran expectations when third behind Mawj in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket. Despite two disappointing results subsequently, Matilda Picotte appeared to enjoy the yielding ground at Tipperary on her last start when runner-up in the seven-furlong Group 3 Fairy Bridge Stakes.
Ridden by jockey Oisin Murphy for the first time, Matilda Picotte jumped smartly and was allowed to dictate the pace throughout. Last year's 1000 Guineas winner Cachet appeared ready to pounce under Ryan Moore with three furlongs to run, but Murphy had plenty left in the tank and asked Matilda Picotte to extend. The three-year-old had pulled clear of the field by the furlong marker, recording a decisive three-and-three quarter length success over Ralph Beckett's Nigiri. Vetiver made up late ground to steal third from Cachet by a nose.
Trainer Kieran Cotter said: "She deserved that, she got chinned by a good horse of Jim Bolger's [Clever And Cool] last time out in a Listed race, but that was over seven furlongs and 110 yards. I thought today back at seven and on less testing ground she'd take the beating. She's a serious horse.
"Plans were on hold until after today, but we might look at the Prix de la Foret. There's another Group Three at Newmarket that could be an option, too.
"I don't think next year she'll have a problem dropping back down to six, but this year I just felt three-year-olds find it hard against the older sprinters.
"She's never ducked a challenge from day one. Her run in the Guineas was good enough to do what she did today and we felt we had her back to 100 per cent. It was fantastic, she put some serious fillies to bed there.
"She's probably going to the sales at the end of the year so she might not be mine, but she could be a serious sprinter next year with another year on her back."
Matilda Picotte currently holds an entry for the Group 3 Renaissance Stakes at the Curragh on 24 September.