Champions will be crowned, but will winners be backed at Leopardstown on Saturday? Here are our Irish Champions Festival day one selections.
Leopardstown Tips
- 13:35 Maire Rua
- 14:10 L L Koulsty
- 14:45 Shakespeare
- 15:15 Purview
- 15:55 Fallen Angel
- 16:25 Quddwah
- 17:00 Constitution River
- 17:35 Night Moon
- 18:10 Suzie Songs
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13:35 7f 2-y-o Ballylinch Stud Irish EBF Ingabelle Stakes (Listed)
A big weekend for the Juddmonte team could get off to a flyer with MAIRE RUA, in the hands of Colin Keane. She impressed here on debut over course and distance and then was slightly below par at Cork on her second start. She has had twenty-nine days to get over those exertions and if she returns to the debut form, she looks to set the standard. Ger Lyons has an excellent record in this race, having won it in three of the last five years: Panama Red (2021), Zarinsk (2022) and Chantez (2024).
Selection: Maire Rua
14:10 7f Irish Stallion Farms EBF Sovereign Path Handicap
John O’Donoghue has his team in very good form. The stable had a 66/1 winner with Mary Doll at Galway on Tuesday. L L KOULSTY is the runner they have declared here, and this three-year-old is starting to get his act together of late. Across his last three runs he’s enjoyed two victories and a third placed finish in the Listed Platinum Stakes at Cork. He has only had eight races in his career, so there is potentially more to come.
Selection: LL Koulsty
14:45 1m1f 2-y-o Golden Fleece Stakes (Group 1)
Since 2010, Aidan O’Brien has won this race eleven times, and he has a strong hand here again. He will send four runners to post, and while Darkness Falls will attract much of the market attention, it might be unwise to rule out the chances of SHAKESPEARE, who broke his maiden tag last time out at the Curragh. He finished in front of Darkness Falls when he ran at Leopardstown on his second start behind Green Dreamer and could do the same again. Pierre-Charles Boudot is a very interesting jockey booking, and it will be interesting to see what the market suggests pre-race.
Selection: Shakespeare
15:15 1m4f Kilternan Stakes (Group 3)
Dermot Weld and Colin Keane team up with PURVIEW in the Juddmonte silks and this runner has hit a rich vein of form of late. An impressive six length victory on seasonal reappearance was followed with victory at the same venue last time in Group Three company. He stayed on well to win under hands and heels inside the final furlong, suggesting that there will be plenty more to come. Dermot Weld has a good record in this race, having won it nine times since 1999. The likes of Free Eagle and Fascinating Rock were impressive winners of this for the Master of Rosewell House, and Purview will be looking to add his name to the list.
Selection: Purview
15:55 1m Coolmore America ‘Justify’ Matron Stakes (Group 1)
The Group One for fillies on the card looks a very competitive affair, but a chance is taken on FALLEN ANGEL returning to form for Karl Burke and James Doyle. She won this race last year and showed something like her best last time at Haydock in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Dick Hern Stakes behind Calendar Girl and Pacific Mission. She will need to step up again to contend here, but she is a two-time winner in September and a winner in October, so this could be the time of year to catch her.
Selection: Fallen Angel
16:25 1m Solonaway Stakes (Group 2)
This race has gone across the water to English raiders on four of the last seven years, and it could do so again as QUDDWAH visits Ireland for Simon & Ed Crisford. He hasn’t been seen for 168 days but showed some very smart form in Meydan, notably finishing second to Ombudsman last time out. Good to soft ground will be ideal, but any rain around won’t inconvenience him whatsoever. He is the highest-rated runner in the field, and if he can show some of his best form, then he should be involved in the finish.
Selection: Quddwah
17:00 1 2f Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes (Group 1)
The record of Aidan O’Brien in the Irish Champion Stakes is extraordinary, and he will be looking to add to this on Saturday. He’s won this 13 times since 1999, and the best of the best have won the race for Team Ballydoyle in that time. Giant’s Causeway (2000), High Chaparral (2003) and Dylan Thomas in back-to-back years (2006 & 2007) are among the names on the roll of honour. CONSTITUTION RIVER landed the Dee Stakes on seasonal debut and then gained a Group 1 success in France in the Qatar Prix du Jockey Club. The victory in the Eclipse at Sandown showed his class, and then he was slightly below par last time behind Item at York. A strong pace should be set by his stablemates, and he can slot in behind and use his turn of foot late on.
Selection: Constitution River
17:35 1m5f Petingo Handicap
Willie Mullins has won this race three times since 2013 with Pique Sous, Laws Of Spin and Limini and is double handed here with NIGHT MOON and The Reverend. Night Moon was a very impressive winner at Fairyhouse two runs back and then finished behind stablemate Thread Of Gold at Galway off a stone higher mark. This will be his seventh start for the Closutton team, and there could be plenty more to come. The draw in stall one might be a small problem, but if he gets luck in running on the inside, then he could be involved in the finish.
Selection: Night Moon
18:10 1m Fillies Handicap
The final race of the day is a very competitive affair and SUZIE SONGS, in the colours of Moyglare Stud Farm, arrives here in top form and could take some beating. She was fourth to L L Koulsty at Naas back in July and then got back into the winners’ enclosure at the same venue in a three-runner race. She stepped up again off the back of that on her next start at Cork, when she landed a listed race and recorded a solid RPR in the process. She has her fair share of weight here, but there could be more to come from this filly and she has a nice draw in stall eight.
Selection: Suzie Songs
Leopardstown Tips
- 13:35 Maire Rua
- 14:10 L L Koulsty
- 14:45 Shakespeare
- 15:15 Purview
- 15:55 Fallen Angel
- 16:25 Quddwah
- 17:00 Constitution River
- 17:35 Night Moon
- 18:10 Suzie Songs
