The two-day Irish Champions Weekend begins at Leopardstown on Saturday, with action the following day at The Curragh.
Saturday’s bumper 9-race card at the South County Dublin venue includes three Group 1 races, with the highlight, the Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes, the weekend’s feature, going to post at 5.00pm. The three Group 1s are backed up by a Group 2, a Group 3 and a Listed race, while there are also three Premier Handicaps down for decision.
The Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes is usually one of the season’s highlights. The 1m 2 furlong contest for three-year-olds and upwards has seen Aidan O’Brien win six of the last seven editions of the race, with Delacroix (2025), Auguste Rodin (2023), Luxembourg (2022), St Mark’s Basilica (2021), Magical (2019 & 2020).
First three in Juddmonte International re-oppose
On Saturday, the Ballydoyle handler’s main hope will be the Coral-Eclipse winner at Sandown, Constitution River – beaten on his last outing in the Juddmonte International at York last month.
Item, the winner of the Juddmonte International, and Almaqam, the runner-up, will represent Andrew Balding and Ed Walker respectively. There was only a head between the two English-trained runners at York last time, with three lengths back to Constitution River – though Aidan O’Brien did later blame poor race tactics for the defeat of the son of Wootton Bassett.
The 2025 Betfred Derby and Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby winner, Lambourn, has also been declared by the Coolmore partners, as has Hawk Mountain, with both likely to set the pace at different stages of the race.
Jessica Harrington’s recent German Group 1 winner Hotazhell is also among the field, as is A Boy Names Susie, who finished behind Constitution River in both the Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly, and the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown.
Interestingly, English handler George Scott supplemented his Deauville Group 3 winner Wimbledon Hawkeye at a cost of €75,000, and will be hoping to get some return for the outlay.
Coolmore America ‘Justify’ Matron Stakes
The Group 1 Coolmore America ‘Justify’ Matron Stakes at 3.55pm is for fillies and mares over a mile. Eight different trainers have won this prize since 2018, and twice it has gone for export – to Karl Burke – with Fallen Angel last season, and Laurens in 2018. Both Donnacha O’Brien (2024, Porta Fortuna) and his brother Joseph (2019, Iridessa) have claimed this contest in recent years, though their father, Aidan, hasn’t won since Hydrangea in 2017.
The race has been good for favourites in recent times, with the past three winning, namely Fallen Angel (9/4), Porta Fortuna (5/4) and Tahiyra (5/6).
English trainers hold strong hand in Matron Stakes
English trainers, Andrew Balding and Karl Burke, hold a strong hand in this year’s renewal. Balding’s Blue Bolt goes in search of a third Group 1, and has had the upper hand this season on four-time Group 1 winner Precise, who re-opposes on Saturday.
Last season’s winner of this race, Fallen Angel, returns to defend her crown, but has only raced twice this season – something which might be seen as a disadvantage to her. Karl Burke, however, has an excellent success rate in Ireland, and should never be discounted.
Paddy Twomey, who trained the winner in 2022, Pearls Galore, will be represented by City Of Memphis, a filly he nominated for this race earlier this year. The Betfred 1000 Guineas winner, True Love, will join her stable companion, Precise, in the 9-runner Group 1.
Ireland’s Newest Group 1
The HKJC World Pool Golden Fleece Stakes for two-year-olds over one mile and one furlong is Ireland’s newest Group 1.
Aidan O’Brien, who had a good record in the race when it was a Group 2 contest, took three of the last four renewals of the juvenile event. Having won with Benvenuto Cellini (2025), Diego Velazquez (2023) and Auguste Rodin (2022), the Wexford-born trainer is responsible for four of the 10 runners this year. The Coolmore-Ballydoyle team will be represented by Aix La Chapelle, Shakespeare, Victory Speech and Darkness Falls – the latter the mount of Ryan Moore.
Nola Soul won the Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot in June for Fozzy Stack, and has course form. Green Dreamer, from the Joseph O’Brien yard, is another course winner, while British trainers Charlie Appleby and Charlie Johnston have Quest For Stars and Pikachu respectively in the race.
Races and Times
1.35pm Ballylinch Stud Irish EBF Ingabelle Stakes (Listed)
2.10pm The Irish Stallion Farms EBF Sovereign Path Premier Handicap
2.45pm The HKJC World Pool Golden Fleece Stakes (Group 1)
3.15pm The Kilternan Stakes (Group 3)
3.55pm The Coolmore America ‘Justify’ Matron Stakes (Group 1)
4.25pm The TonyBet Solonaway Stakes (Group 2)
5.00pm The Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes (Group 1)
5.35pm The Irish Stallion Farms EBF Petingo Premier Handicap
6.10pm The HKJC WorldPool Autumn Fillies Premier Handicap
Patrons can pay at the turnstiles on both Saturday and Sunday, and ticket details and prices are available on the Irish Champions Festival website.
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