Willie McCreery is keen to find Devonshire an opportunity to get her head in front before the season is out following another good effort in defeat at the Curragh last weekend.

The daughter of Fast Company has only once finished out of the first four this season, performing particularly well when third in the Irish 1,000 Guineas. She stepped up to nine furlongs for the first time in the Dance Design Stakes on Sunday and was not disgraced in finishing fourth.

Devonshire does hold an entry in the Matron Stakes at Leopardstown on Saturday week, but McCreery will wait until nearer to the time before deciding whether to return to the highest level.

He said: “She got caught in a pocket in what wasn’t a truly run race. She looked like she was going to get swallowed up in the straight, but once she got into clear daylight she was staying on again.

“It was probably a bit inconclusive. I think we’ll be sticking to a mile or a mile and one [furlong] for now anyway.

Break her duck

“We’ll keep an eye on it [Matron Stakes]. You’ll get a truly run race there, but it might be asking a lot for her to break her duck for the year in a race like that.

“There are a few options for her later on and it would be great to get her head in front as she’s been a warrior all year without winning.

“She’s run very consistently all season apart from the run at Royal Ascot on very fast ground, so we can forgive her that.”

Sabrina Harty is praying for drying conditions at Doncaster in the next week to allow stable stars Ansgar and Kalann to make the journey to Town Moor.

The Co Kildare handler is hoping to see Ansgar defend his crown in the Park Stakes on Saturday week, while Kalann is set for a second tilt at the previous afternoon's Doncaster Cup, having run a fantastic race to finish third at huge odds 12 months ago.

Both horses will cross the Irish Sea with something to prove as Ansgar was well-beaten on his return from a break at the Curragh recently and Kalann has not been seen since early June.

Too fresh

Harty said: “Hopefully they’ll both go back to Doncaster. We just want some real good ground for both of them.

“Ansgar is in great order. He was just too fresh going to the Curragh last time and kicked himself a couple of times in the stalls . . .

“It’s been difficult with him as we wanted to run at Goodwood and travelled over, but then they had a lot of rain and we had to take him out. There’s just no point running him if the ground isn’t good to firm.

“Kalann is crying out for a run, but he’s had one or two little niggly problems and there’s been no fast ground available.”