G1 Irish Champion S.

The Irish Champions Stakes Day at Leopardstown resulted in  €27.7 million (HK$232.2m) bet into the World Pool via the seven World Pool bet types in operation last Saturday. Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) delivered in the highlight race of the day--the G1 Irish Champion S. This was the third year World Pool was in operation on the Irish card, and turnover was almost on par with 2022's figure of HK$234.8m (approx. €27.9m) and significantly up on 2021's figure of HK$192.8m (€22.9m). Michael Fitzsimons, Executive Director, Wagering Products, at the...

Shadwell's Alflaila (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}) may be supplemented to the Sept. 9 G1 Irish Champion S., sidestepping Shadwell-owned Mostahdaf (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) in next week's GI Juddmonte International at York. Trained by Owen Burrows, Alflaila is on a four-race winning skein, taking the July 29 G2 York S. over the same course and distance as the International. "It's unlikely at this stage that we would run the two against each other, I would think," said Shadwell's racing manager Angus Gold. "God willing, Mostahdaf stays in good shape--he'll be the...

Four-time Group 1 winner Paddington (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) continues to thrive ahead of the Aug. 23 G1 Juddmonte International at York, Aidan O'Brien confirmed on Saturday. The consistent Coolmore runner is six-for-seven and has won the G1 Irish 2000 Guineas, G1 St James's Palace S., the G1 Eclipse and the G1 Sussex S. in succession. "He's good and everything is good so far with him. The Juddmonte is still the plan," said O'Brien. Ballydoyle's master trainer also had an update on G1 Derby and G1 Irish Derby hero Auguste Rodin...

Saturday's G1 Irish Champion S. at Leopardstown, a "Win And You're In" for the GI Breeders' Cup Turf in at Keeneland in November, turned out every bit as exhilarating as it had promised, with no hint of fluke or ill fortune and a cluster in contention approaching the furlong pole. That was before Ballydoyle's comeback kid Luxembourg (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) forged ahead late on to deny the TDN Rising Star Onesto (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) in another stirring finish in which this race tends to specialise. We can now say with...

  With The Queen in everyone's thoughts on Saturday, her greatest pastime is celebrated at Leopardstown with the G1 Irish Champion S. offering a blend of some of Europe's finest families that she knew and appreciated so well. Chief among them is a pearl from the depths of The Aga Khan's ocean of breeding talent the UK's longest-serving monarch was able to fish from in her later years. It was Astrakhan, a wedding present from the late Aga Khan III, who provided her with her first flat winner at Hurst Park...

Shadwell's undefeated Baaeed (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), who won the G1 Juddmonte International S. on Wednesday, was set for his career final in the G1 Champion S. at Ascot on Oct. 15, but trainer William Haggas has revealed that September's G1 Irish Champion S. and the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in Paris at the beginning of October are also in the mix. Speaking to ITV Racing on Thursday afternoon, the trainer said, "I was thrilled to bits, I watched it home last night with Maureen [Haggas] and...

Godolphin's 2021 G1 Derby and G1 King George VI And Queen Elizabeth QIPCO S. winner Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) is progressing in his training, with the Sept. 10 G1 Irish Champion S. at Leopardstown or the Oct. 15 G1 Champion S. at Ascot under consideration by trainer Charlie Appleby. However, the trainer would like to get a prep run into the bay, who has yet to make a 2022 start after missing several targets earlier this year. "He's in full training and has the spring back in his step," said...

Ballydoyle's St Mark's Basilica (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) will take on The Aga Khan's Tarnawa (Ire) (Shamardal) and Jim Bolger's Poetic Flare (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire}) and just one other in what is certain to be a tactical renewal of Saturday's G1 Irish Champion S. at Leopardstown. As he suggested earlier this month, Aidan O'Brien has taken out all other entries for the 10-furlong contest, which is made up by last year's G3 Meld S. winner Patrick Sarsfield (Fr) (Australia {GB}). At Doncaster the same afternoon, the G1 Cazoo St Leger will see Godolphin's G1 Irish Derby and...

Classic winner Poetic Flare (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire}) will skip an intended start in Sunday's G1 Prix du Moulin and instead line up in the G1 Irish Champion S. at Leopardstown on Sept. 11, trainer Jim Bolger revealed on the Nick Luck Daily Podcast. It will mark the first time the G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas and G1 St James's Palace S. hero will try a distance beyond a mile. Since his Royal Ascot win in the St James's Palace S., the Bolger homebred was runner-up in the G1 Qatar Sussex...

Three-time Group 1 winner Tarnawa (Ire) (Shamardal), who won the G3 Ballyroan S. at Leopardstown on Aug. 5, will make her next start in the Sept. 11 G1 Irish Champion S. The winner of last year's G1 Prix Vermeille, G1 Prix de l'Opera and the GI Breeders' Cup Turf, the chestnut has been in good order since her Ballyroan appearance. After the Irish Champion, the G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at ParisLongchamp on Oct. 3 is His Highness The Aga Khan homebred's long-term goal. "A decision has been...

Dual Classic heroine Love (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who won the G1 Prince of Wales's S.  at Royal Ascot in June, is in good form in advance of the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. on July 24. The Coolmore partners runner claimed the G1 QIPCO 1000 Guineas, G1 Investec Oaks, and G1 Yorkshire Oaks in a three-for-three campaign in 2020. "The plan at the moment is that we're looking at running Love in the King George," trainer Aidan O'Brien said from The Curragh. "Mogul (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) and...

The Irish National Stud announced breeders using Decorated Knight (GB) (Galileo {Ire}--Pearling, by Storm Cat) in 2021 will be entitled to a bonus nomination for the 2022 season. Decorated Knight will stand for €7,500 (Oct. 1 Terms). The G1 QIPCO Irish Champion S. winner will be represented by his first runners in 2021. The stallion's dam Pearling, a daughter of GSW Mariah's Storm (Rahy), is a full-sister to European champion 3-year-old and leading sire Giant's Causeway and You'resothrilling, dam of Irish champion 2-year-old and 3-year-old champion Miler in Europe Gleneagles...