Just a small margin inferior to her stable's leading juvenile fillies last term, Alice Springs (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) returns centre stage in Sunday's G3 Leopardstown 1000 Guineas Trial S. Last seen finishing runner-up in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Keeneland in November, Susan Magnier's bay had earlier been third in the G1 Moyglare Stud S. over seven furlongs at The Curragh and fourth in the G1 Cheveley Park S. trying six at Newmarket in September. Surprisingly last of nine when Alice Springs was third in the Moyglare, Now Or Never (Ire) (Bushranger {Ire}) has to regain the form of her prior second in the G2 Futurity S. over this trip at The Curragh in August and trainer Michael O'Callaghan is happy he has her back in top order. “I can't wait to run her. She's done brilliantly over the winter and has been working well this spring,” he said. “Kieren Fallon has been riding her in her work and likes the filly a lot. I know he's really looking forward to riding her. The Moyglare just came too soon for her after having a hard race in the Futurity. She was also growing at the time, which didn't help, so you can just put a line through that. If you take her run in the Futurity, natural progression from there suggests she should run a massive race on Sunday. They always improve from their first run of the year, but she's plenty of work done and has had a racecourse gallop. She's fit enough to give a good account of herself.” The Niarchos Family's Radiantly (GB) (Aussie Rules) was fourth and beaten just a length in the G3 C L & M F Weld Park S. at this distance at The Curragh in September and as a granddaughter of Shiva (Jpn) (Hector Protector) is certain to improve with age.
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