Strong overseas challenge at Leopardstown on Saturday for the opening day of Irish Champions Festival
Thursday, September 11, 2025
Economics wins The Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes 2024 from Auguste Rodin in second and Shin Emperor in third. Eight runners have been declared for Saturday's renewal at Leopardstown.
Overseas raiders Shin Emperor, Anmaat and Royal Champion will give some high-profile home hopes a formidable challenge as the latest renewal of the Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes takes centre stage on the opening day of Irish Champions Festival at Leopardstown on Saturday.
Yoshito Yahagi’s Shin Emperor, a fast-finishing third in the race a year ago, the Owen Burrows-trained dual Group 1 scorer Anmaat and Karl Burke’s clearcut Group 2 York Stakes winner Royal Champion go up against a home defence led by Aidan O'Brien’s early favourite Delacroix, his fellow three-year-old Zahrann, trained by Johnny Murtagh, and John Murphy’s White Birch in the €1.25m day one highlight.
Completing the eight-strong field are the Jessica Harrington-trained Hotazhell and another from the O'Brien stable, Mount Kilimanjaro.
There are 11 horses going to post for the Group 1 Coolmore America “Justify” Matron Stakes with the Karl Burke-trained Fallen Angel hoping to improve on her runner-up finish to Porta Fortuna last year.
Aidan O'Brien’s January, only a head behind Fallen Angel in the Group 1 Prix Rothschild at Deauville at the beginning of last month, heads an opposition that includes Joe Murphy’s Royal Ascot heroine Cercene, the Johnny Feane-trained Vera’s Secret, unbeaten in three starts at Leopardstown, Cathedral, supplemented for the race on Tuesday by her trainer Kevin Philippart De Foy and the David Loughnane-trained Sparks Fly.
The 10-runner Group 2 Tonybet Solonaway Stakes has a most open look to it and making a return trip to Leopardstown is Jack Channon’s raider Johan, winner of the Group 3 Bahrain Turf Club Desmond Stakes over this course and distance a month ago. He will again take on the horses that finished second, third, fourth and fifth that evening, Johnny Murtagh’s Alakazi and Chicago Critic, the Ger Lyons-trained Mutasarref (second in this race last year) and Joe Murphy’s Lord Massusus. Ed Dunlop’s Skukuza is another runner from the UK while Aidan O'Brien relies on Expanded.
The two-year-olds have a Group 2 of their own on the card and the Aidan O'Brien-trained Benvenuto Cellini leads the way in the five-runner KPMG Champions Juvenile Stakes. The champion trainer runs the wide-margin course and distance winner Montreal as well with Joseph O'Brien also running his impressive course and distance scorer Hardy Warrior and the maiden Nil Bua Gan Dua, while Donnacha O'Brien will be represented by A Boy Named Susie which made such a good impression when winning at Killarney on his first start.
The William Haggas-trained Al Aasy and Karl Burke’s Convergent top the 11 runners for the Group 3 CMG Group Stakes. Last year’s winner Trustyourinstinct heads Joseph O'Brien’s triple challenge which is made up of Sons And Lovers and Omni Man, while Aidan O'Brien runs Acapulco Bay with Reyenzi representing Johnny Murtagh.
The Listed Ballylinch Stud Irish EBF Ingabelle Stakes is the first race (2.15pm) on the card and here Aidan O'Brien’s Diamond Necklace and Sukanya, another trained by Jack Channon, appear to set the standard in the 11-runner affair. Like Diamond Necklace, both the Noel Meade-trained Caught U Sleeping and Gavin Cromwell’s Mighty Danu were up to making winning debuts.
The Irish Stallion Farms EBF Sovereign Path Handicap has attracted 16 runners, headed by last year’s first and second, the Ross O'Sullivan-trained Dance Night Andday and Stephen Thorne’s Gleneagle Bay respectively. Johnny Murtagh’s top-weight Rahmi cannot be ruled out despite his down-the-field finish 12 months ago, while another likely leading fancy is Ger Lyons’ recent Gowran Park winner Pier Pressure.
A field of 19 will line out for the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Petingo Handicap with Willie Mullins’ Too Bossy For Us, the Noel Meade-trained Helvic Dream and Joseph O'Brien’s Aeronautic definite contenders, with Michael O'Callaghan’s Noli Timere, Johnny Murtagh’s Onemoredance and the Ger Lyons-trained Continuite all clearly holding a chance in the concluding 20-runner Hong Kong Jockey Club Autumn Fillies Handicap. Interestingly, last year’s winner Vera’s Secret contests the Group 1 Coolmore America “Justify” Matron Stakes earlier on Saturday’s card.
Click here for the declared runners for the opening day of Irish Champions Festival at Leopardstown on Saturday
Yoshito Yahagi’s Shin Emperor, a fast-finishing third in the race a year ago, the Owen Burrows-trained dual Group 1 scorer Anmaat and Karl Burke’s clearcut Group 2 York Stakes winner Royal Champion go up against a home defence led by Aidan O'Brien’s early favourite Delacroix, his fellow three-year-old Zahrann, trained by Johnny Murtagh, and John Murphy’s White Birch in the €1.25m day one highlight.
Completing the eight-strong field are the Jessica Harrington-trained Hotazhell and another from the O'Brien stable, Mount Kilimanjaro.
There are 11 horses going to post for the Group 1 Coolmore America “Justify” Matron Stakes with the Karl Burke-trained Fallen Angel hoping to improve on her runner-up finish to Porta Fortuna last year.
Aidan O'Brien’s January, only a head behind Fallen Angel in the Group 1 Prix Rothschild at Deauville at the beginning of last month, heads an opposition that includes Joe Murphy’s Royal Ascot heroine Cercene, the Johnny Feane-trained Vera’s Secret, unbeaten in three starts at Leopardstown, Cathedral, supplemented for the race on Tuesday by her trainer Kevin Philippart De Foy and the David Loughnane-trained Sparks Fly.
The 10-runner Group 2 Tonybet Solonaway Stakes has a most open look to it and making a return trip to Leopardstown is Jack Channon’s raider Johan, winner of the Group 3 Bahrain Turf Club Desmond Stakes over this course and distance a month ago. He will again take on the horses that finished second, third, fourth and fifth that evening, Johnny Murtagh’s Alakazi and Chicago Critic, the Ger Lyons-trained Mutasarref (second in this race last year) and Joe Murphy’s Lord Massusus. Ed Dunlop’s Skukuza is another runner from the UK while Aidan O'Brien relies on Expanded.
The two-year-olds have a Group 2 of their own on the card and the Aidan O'Brien-trained Benvenuto Cellini leads the way in the five-runner KPMG Champions Juvenile Stakes. The champion trainer runs the wide-margin course and distance winner Montreal as well with Joseph O'Brien also running his impressive course and distance scorer Hardy Warrior and the maiden Nil Bua Gan Dua, while Donnacha O'Brien will be represented by A Boy Named Susie which made such a good impression when winning at Killarney on his first start.
The William Haggas-trained Al Aasy and Karl Burke’s Convergent top the 11 runners for the Group 3 CMG Group Stakes. Last year’s winner Trustyourinstinct heads Joseph O'Brien’s triple challenge which is made up of Sons And Lovers and Omni Man, while Aidan O'Brien runs Acapulco Bay with Reyenzi representing Johnny Murtagh.
The Listed Ballylinch Stud Irish EBF Ingabelle Stakes is the first race (2.15pm) on the card and here Aidan O'Brien’s Diamond Necklace and Sukanya, another trained by Jack Channon, appear to set the standard in the 11-runner affair. Like Diamond Necklace, both the Noel Meade-trained Caught U Sleeping and Gavin Cromwell’s Mighty Danu were up to making winning debuts.
The Irish Stallion Farms EBF Sovereign Path Handicap has attracted 16 runners, headed by last year’s first and second, the Ross O'Sullivan-trained Dance Night Andday and Stephen Thorne’s Gleneagle Bay respectively. Johnny Murtagh’s top-weight Rahmi cannot be ruled out despite his down-the-field finish 12 months ago, while another likely leading fancy is Ger Lyons’ recent Gowran Park winner Pier Pressure.
A field of 19 will line out for the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Petingo Handicap with Willie Mullins’ Too Bossy For Us, the Noel Meade-trained Helvic Dream and Joseph O'Brien’s Aeronautic definite contenders, with Michael O'Callaghan’s Noli Timere, Johnny Murtagh’s Onemoredance and the Ger Lyons-trained Continuite all clearly holding a chance in the concluding 20-runner Hong Kong Jockey Club Autumn Fillies Handicap. Interestingly, last year’s winner Vera’s Secret contests the Group 1 Coolmore America “Justify” Matron Stakes earlier on Saturday’s card.
Click here for the declared runners for the opening day of Irish Champions Festival at Leopardstown on Saturday
