Only four runners but still a potentially epic encounter for the Irish Champion Stakes as a clash of the big guns Tarnawa, St Mark’s Basilica and Poetic Flare provides the highlight of a stellar weekend’s action spread across three nations in Europe.
There is also Classic action with the historic St Leger at Doncaster in England, while ParisLongchamp hosts its annual Arc trials card on Sunday.
However, with a total of €4.25m up for grabs, nothing surpasses the Longines-sponsored Irish Champions Weekend, where no fewer than six G1s are split between Leopardstown on Saturday and the Curragh 24 hours later.
Chief among them is Ireland’s most prestigious race, the Irish Champion Stakes, one of five Breeders’ Cup ‘Win and You’re In’ Challenge races at the two-day Irish extravaganza.
The €1 million contest offers a fees-aid berth in the Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf – a race won in 2020 by the Aga Khan’s top-class filly Tarnawa as she completed a G1 hat-trick at Keeneland by beating her compatriot, last year’s Irish Champion winner Magical. All roads lead to Paris for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe this term for the 5-year-old daughter of much-missed Shamardal, who is cutting back in trip to a mile and a quarter at Leopardstown as she chases her sixth win on the bounce.
Sure to start favourite, though, is the formidable Eclipse winner St Mark’s Basilica, seeking to become Aidan O’Brien’s tenth winner, while tough-as-teak 2000 Guineas hero Poetic Flare can never be overlooked. The smallest field in the race’s current format is completed by Royal Ascot runner-up Patrick Sarsfield.
Two other races on Saturday’s card are part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge, headed by the G1 Matron Stakes, sponsored by Coolmore America in the name of unbeaten Triple Crown winner Justify. Last year’s winner Champers Elysees faces a stiff task defending her title against 1000 Guineas heroine Mother Earth, who added to her G1 laurels last time in Deauville’s Prix Rothschild.
Ten runners will line up for the G2 KPMG Champions Juvenile over a mile, the first of this year’s qualifiers for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf. Aidan O’Brien, who has won the G2 event eight times, saddles two, with Ryan Moore on the maiden Stone Age, whoe faces a rematch with his Galway conqueror Buckaroo.
Irish Champion Stakes: A bit of context
History: Established in 1976, the Irish Champion Stakes is the focal point of Ireland’s G1-laden Champions Weekend. Initially run at Leopardstown as the Joe McGrath Memorial, the 1m2f contest was moved to Phoenix Park in 1984 and renamed the Phoenix Champion Stakes. When that famous venue was shuttered in 1991, Ireland’s most prestigious race returned to Leopardstown; it is now unquestionably one of the world’s top races on turf. Magical last year became only the second dual winner after Dylan Thomas (2006, 2007).
Star turn: Sea The Stars (2009) – a performance to confirm the reputation of a genuine superstar as the magnificent Sea The Stars won the fifth of his six straight G1s. Responsible for five of the nine runners, Aidan O’Brien played a tactical card by ensuring a serious test of stamina to suit his Irish Derby victor Fame And Glory. A pair of Ballydoyle outsiders duly set the required strong pace before Fame And Glory hit the front two furlongs out, but it made no difference to Sea The Stars, who charged past his rival for an emphatic 2½-length win under Mick Kinane. Handicappers rated it the best performance of an outstanding career – even better than the Arc, which came next.
Most wins (trainer): Aidan O’Brien (9) – Giant's Causeway (2000), High Chaparral (2003), Oratorio (2005), Dylan Thomas (2006, 2007), Cape Blanco (2010), So You Think (2011), Magical (2019, 2020)
Most wins (jockey): Mick Kinane (7) – Carroll House (1989), Cezanne (1994), Pilsudski (1997), Giant's Causeway (2000), High Chaparral (2003), Azamour (2004), Sea The Stars (2009)
Breeders’ Cup Challenge
The winner of the Irish Champion Stakes will receive an automatic fees-paid berth in the Longines Turf at Del Mar on November 6, while the Matron Stakes and Champions Juvenile are ‘Win and You’re In’ races for the Maker’s Mark Filly & Mare Turf and Juvenile Turf respectively. A minimum travel allowance of $40,000 will also be provided for all starters based outside North America.
Already qualified: Turf (6) – Cool Day (GP Carlos Pellegrini), Love (Prince of Wales’s Stakes), Chrono Genesis (Takarazuka Kinen), Adayar (King George), Astronaut (Del Mar Handicap); Gufo (Sword Dancer)
Filly & Mare Turf (5) – Queen Supreme (Paddock Stakes), Gran Alegria (Victoria Mile), Reina De Mollendo (GP Pamplona), Snowfall (Yorkshire Oaks), War Like Goddess (Flower Bowl)
Juvenile Turf (0)
Breeders’ Cup past performance
Sent off favourite for last year’s Breeders’ Cup Turf after winning at Leopardstown, Magical was beaten a length into second by Tarnawa at Keeneland. Others have prevailed in America, however, the Irish showpiece having been won in the past by subsequent BC Turf winners such as Daylami (1999), Fantastic Light (2001) and High Chaparral (2003). Roaring Lion was last in the Classic after a brilliant victory in Ireland in 2018.
Among horses beaten in the Irish Champion, 2015 runner-up Found and Highland Reel (unplaced in 2016) went on to win the Turf in those seasons. In 2006, third-placed Ouija Board landed the BC Filly & Mare Turf.
Iridessa, Matron Stakes winner in 2019, followed up in the Filly & Mare Turf at Santa Anita; last year’s Matron runner-up Peaceful was only 11th behind Audarya at Keeneland, where Champions Juvenile victor Cadillac was fourth in the Juvenile Turf.
Top contenders for 2021
St Mark’s Basilica (Aidan O’Brien/Ryan Moore) – Dual French Classic winner, unbeaten this season after sensational performance against elders in Coral-Eclipse Stakes to beat top-class Mishriff; said to be fully recovered after minor setback (shoe came off and cut near-fore hind joint) ruled him out of Juddmonte International; trainer has won this nine times. Current world #2.
Tarnawa (Dermot Weld/Colin Keane) – Breeders’ Cup Turf heroine is a triple G1 winner who has won her last five races, including last month’s stylish return in G3 event at this venue; superstar racemare’s primary target is the Arc – potential question marks as notably strong traveller cuts back in trip here? Current world #7.
Poetic Flare (Jim Bolger/Kevin Manning) – formidably tough customer, 2000 Guineas hero is running in seventh consecutive G1 in just over four months after neck defeat by Palace Pier (world #1 on TRC Global Rankings) in Prix Jacques le Marois; likes faster ground, as with brilliant 4½-length victory in St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot; faces 1m2f for first time. Current world #22.
What they say
Aidan O’Brien (trainer of St Mark’s Basilica)
"It [the injury] happened before the Juddmonte so he had his few days off, and it was kind of like he had a run and just started building back up for Leopardstown after that. He goes along in a race and wastes no energy. He's just waiting on you to ask him and then he has this explosive turn of foot when you do ask him. That's something that is very rare in a horse and it's very exciting. It's a weapon that is seriously hard to find in any horse. He's very straightforward – he has a great stride and is very genuine. He has all the things that you would love in a horse."
Colin Keane (Tarnawa’s jockey)
“Tarnawa is coming back a couple of furlongs and that shouldn't be a problem. She's not slow – she travels strongly and has a good turn of foot over a mile and a half. Dropping back to ten furlongs won't be much of an issue. She has done very well over the winter – probably better than they'd have thought as she's taken a bit of work to get her where she is now."