Who To Follow At Leopardstown On Saturday

The feature race on the Saturday at Leopardstown is the Group One Irish Champion Stakes over 1 mile 2 furlongs and we are going against the form book in this one with picking an Irish based horse to win.

Aidan O'Brien's Magical is a superb filly who currently sits behind Enable in second for the Cartier Horse Of The Year Awards looks the horse to beat here but with a British horse winning the race for the last seven years, the tide needs to turn.

Magical has been aimed at this event for the whole season after running in the shadow of the mighty Enable all season finishing second to the mare on her last two runs.

Before that she finished second to the retired Crystal Ocean in the Prince Of Wales's Stakes in a battle to the line but landed a Group One in Ireland at the Curragh.

She is unbeaten in Ireland this season and there is no reason why she can't go on and land her second Group One event of the season, but she will have to be at her best against some strong British raiders.

Aidan O'Brien rules the Irish racing scene acquiring the best and most expensive horses every season but trains them to the best of their ability and year on year manages to land the big Group Ones.

It is no different this season and on the Irish Chamion Stakes first day at Leopardstown he has some superb chances to clean up on the day.

The first one of his horses we fancy is Mogul and this two year old has only ran twice, getting beaten on debut at Gowran park in soft conditions but on his latest at the Curragh on better ground he won nicely.

As a yearling this juvenile cost 3,400,000 Guineas and is a full brother to dual Group One winner Japan who looks set for the Arc and Mogul looks like O'Brien's big Epsom Derby horse for next season.

Next is Magical who we have already spoke in depth about but we have to reiterate how much we fancy this filly with the form behind Enable being some of the strongest on offer.

Lancaster House runs in the next and this three year old colt has been labelled a Group horse in the making off the back of his unbeaten start to racing, cruising to victory in all three of his contests.

Last time out at Listowel he bolted up in a Listed event and showed he was a class above the field and although this race coming quickly he looks a class act and has the chance to prove how good he is.

To finish off for the Ballydoyle operator in the Group One Matron Stakes for Fillies and Mares we like the dual 1000 Guineas winner Hermosa who if getting back on track has the best form in the race.

She finished second at Ascot on her hunt for her third Group One of the season when French raider Watch Me snatched the Coronation Stakes away from her.

O'Brien then stepped her up to 1 mile 2f in the Nassau Stakes at Goodwood and she completely flopped bu now back at a mile she looks dangerous.

One of Ireland's leading jockeys is Colin Keane who has been superb over the last few years picking up the Irish jockeys championship and winning some really nice races.

At Leopardstown on Saturday he has some serious chances to get on the board starting in the first race of the day with the Ger Lyons trained Nurse Barbara takes the eye for us with the filly making an outstanding debut at Cork at the start of the month and now stepping up an extra furlong she should give a bold bid.

She landed a 19 runner maiden on good ground with her looking like she still wanted further and getting that today makes her an interesting character.

This for us is his biggest chance along with a whole host of rides but Colin Keane is certainly a man to follow in Ireland.