ALICE Springs mowed down her rivals in the last 100 yards to win the Group 1 Coolmore Fastnet Rock Matron Stakes in tremendous style at Leopardstown.

Ryan Moore was happy to hold the 5-1 chance at the rear of the field as Creggs Pipes made the running from Jet Setting. Frankie Dettori brought Persuasive with a strong challenge, but had no answer to the Aidan O'Brien-trained Alice Springs, who came with a undeniable run in the centre of the course to win by an emphatic three and a quarter lengths.

Persuasive was a game second in her first try at this level, with Qemah, the French-trained 11-8 favourite, a length and a quarter away in third.

Zhukova made a triumphant return from an absence of 122 days to foil Aidan O'Brien's triple assault on the Group 3 KPMG Enterprise Stakes at Leopardstown.

Last seen winning at Naas in May, the Dermot Weld-trained four-year-old stormed clear of the O'Brien pace-setting Tree Of Knowledge over a furlong out to clinch victory.

It was a decisive move by Pat Smullen on Zhukova (5-2) as he got first run on O'Brien's US Army Ranger.

Despite finishing strongly, the 8-11 favourite was still half a length down at the line. O'Brien's other runner, Bondi Beach, was third.

"It was a good performance. It was her first run in four months," said Weld. "The plan is to give her one more run this year. The plan has always been the Group 1 Fillies and Mares on British Champions Weekend. I've had that in mind for her since April.

"She put in two lovely performances in the Blue Wind and Alleged Stakes, beating Found and then Bocca Baciata. She enjoyed her summer break and has come back to be what I expected her to be - a Group 1 filly before the end of the year.

"It's equally pleasing to have bred her with my late mother. She's out of Nightime who gave my mother a great day when winning the (Irish) 1,000 Guineas. I'm more looking forward to next year and think she'll be a serious mare then. The best is yet to come."

Smullen said: "She's a lovely mare, with a lovely big stride on her. I was quite happy to sit up, just behind the pacemaker, and she was always going to get to the line good. She showed a great turn of foot today, she quickened really well off the turn.

"She's just an improving mare. We always though a lot of her but typical of the boss, he's been very patient with her. She's a big mare and she's only showing the benefit of giving her that time now. She's a good mare but I am a little bit surprised at how she did it, knowing that she will improve for the run. That's scary."

Zhukova is 3-1 favourite from 6-1 for the Qipco Champions Fillies and Mares Stakes with RaceBets at Ascot on October 15.

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