Sioux Nation’s Matilda Picotte Dominates The Challenge

[Wandering Eyes]

One of racing's true front-running forces at the niche seven-furlong trip, Matilda Picotte (Ire) (Sioux Nation) followed her tour de force in Doncaster's G3 Sceptre S. with another in Newmarket's G2 Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards Challenge S. on Friday. Back at the track at which she had won last year's Listed Bosra Sham Fillies' S. and at which she was a gallant third in the G1 1000 Guineas, Kieran Cotter-trained 3-year-old proved relentless at the head of affairs to score by 2 3/4 lengths from compatriot Lord Massusus (Ire) (Markaz {Ire}).

“I was a bit concerned she might falter in the last 100 yards, but she's so much pace and she's so genuine and they have to work hard to get to her,” Cotter said of the 2-1 second favourite. “Her last couple of runs have been outstanding. I've been saying to the lads for a while that you wouldn't see the best of her until the backend of her three-year-old season and she's just got better and better. Oisin [Murphy] said today he was going too fast and she was aggressive early, but you can't fight her, he just lets her roll and she's incredibly tough.”

“I don't know if she'll run again this year,” her trainer added. “There is the Breeders' Cup, who knows? There'll be a lot of races for her next year, if we have her. I think she has an entry in the sales, but the lads were saying if she won well today they might keep her. She's a horse of a lifetime and it's been a fairy tale for all the lads.”

Matilda Picotte makes it two wins on the bounce in the Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards Challenge Stakes for @oismurphy & @KieranCotter14 pic.twitter.com/Zu4s0pBt5g

— Newmarket Racecourse (@NewmarketRace) October 13, 2023

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