Welcome Back Atlantic Jewel!

 Trainer Mark Kavanagh was unquote-able following the running of the Group One MRC Memsie Stakes on Saturday.

He had just witnessed the stables star mare Atlantic Jewel dismantle a field that contained no less than eight group one winners at her first start for 70 weeks and could manage only a few words in response to questions posed during the post race interview.

"I reckon she is (unbelievable)," Kavanagh agreed with interviewer Jason Richardson.

"(I'm) speechless, I really am."

But whether he was simply dumbfounded by the mares awesome display of athleticism or was overcome by emotion became evident at the trophy presentation where he struggled to maintain composure.

That overriding emotion was no doubt relief after Kavanagh produced Atlantic Jewel to win first up in Group One company over 1400 metres after an injury induced lay off of more than sixteen months.

"Yeah...ask (my wife) Isobel, it hasn't been good I'll give you the tip, yeah it's been tough," Kavanagh said of the pressure coming into the race with such a valuable mare.

Atlantic Jewel, majority owned by Coolmore stud and a daughter of their champion sire Fastnet Rock, was unbeaten in seven starts and headed for super star status before she injured a tendon in her preparations for the spring of 2012. Her recovery and eventual comeback was carefully engineered with trainers, vets, farriers, farm managers, riders and stable staff all playing a part.

By contrast Kavanagh was bubbling with enthusiasm when he appeared on TVN's Racing Review on Sunday morning to report that the mare had pulled up well.

"It's frightening to say she is better today than she was yesterday morning before the races, she's eaten and she's sound and it's all forward from here."