Leopardstown Irish Champions Weekend Preview

The first race of the day on Irish Champions Weekend is the Listed Ingabelle Stakes over seven furlongs and Earth Strike for Joseph O'Brien looks an exciting new recruit.

The two year old filly made a great start to life on a racecourse when getting off the mark over course and distance, pulling away in the final furlong.

That came on heavy ground, but she looks like better ground will suit her and if improving for that run in this tougher race she has to be taken seriously.

She has a cracking pedigree being a full sister to Ascot Gold Cup winner Order Of St George.

The first big handicap of the day sees just under 20 horses battle it out over 1 mile 41/2 furlongs and Emperor Of The Sun for Donnacha O'Brien in our eyes should be favourite.

The three year old son of Galileo will get 3lb taken off by rider Gavin Ryan which will help his mark of 102, however he looks good enough without that help in the weight to go close.

Having shown promise for Aidan O'Brien, this season he has put in some smart place performances that should warrant him respect in this handicap.

Last time out the son of Zoffany gave his best run to date when finishing second in behind Galileo Gold in a Listed race and that horse has a live chance in the Group One St Leger.

The first Group One on the card is for the Fillies over a mile, with the Matron Stakes been won by some superstars in the past.

The three year old is set to take on Fancy Blue who has been a shining light for Donnacha O'Brien but we fancy his father to get the better of him in this race with the race being over a mile and that suiting Peaceful much better.

The daughter of Galileo was a smart juvenile winning at Thurles on her second start and then finishing a narrow second at Newmarket behind Born With Pride in a Listed event.

She has come on leaps and bounds now a year older and on her first start landed the Irish 1000 Guineas, seeing off Fancy Blue in the Process.

She was stepped up to 1 mile 2 furlongs for the French Oaks was outstayed by her nemesis but going back to a mile and having a short break should give her everything she needs to win the contest.

The Group Two Juvenile Stakes looks to be a one horse race with the Jessica Harrington trained Cadillac looking the most obvious candidate to land this race.

The juvenile has shown plenty of ability on both his starts to date, getting off the mark a the first time of asking over seven furlongs at Leopardstown and then backing that up with a good second at The Curragh.

The son of Lope De Vega has shown he can handle both good and soft conditions meaning if more rain comes in Ireland before the race it should not phase him.

His narrow second in a Group Two last time out is the best form on offer in the race and he looks sure to improve for that run.

The Irish Champions Stakes as ever is the feature on day one of the weekend and this year English raider Ghaiyyath will take some serious beating.

The son of Dubawi was known last season for jet setting all over the globe to win races which saw him land a Group One in Germany by 14 lengths a Group Two in France and also a Group Three in Meydan.

He headed to the Prix de l'arc de Triomphe on his final start last season and didn't run any sort of race but seems to be a completely different animal this term.

This term he started in the Group One Coronation Cup at Newmarket at the start of June and saw off Epsom Derby winner Anthony Van Dyck along with three time Ascot Gold Cup winner Stradivarius, subsequently breaking the track record.

In the first weekend of July he stepped up for another Group One event at Sandown in the Coral Eclipse and although all the talk was about Enable's return, this horse was the one with the headlines after a stunning front running performance.

He stepped up again for the Juddmonte International at York as the favourite to beat and just like the Eclipse he set off in front and could not be caught.

He enters the event with the best form on show and currently the highest rated flat horse on the planet.

The top quality action keeps on coming at Leopardstown with the Group Two Clipper Logistics Boomerang Mile showing a superb field.

The English raiders dominate the top of the market and John Quinn's stable star Safe Voyage can back up his Group Two York Of Stakes win last time out.

He is stepping up to a mile which he should be able to handle and his front running style coming round the bend at Leopardstown should make him be able to run the race out of the field.

At the age of seven he seems to still be progressing and is good value currently second favourite.

One of our best chances on Saturday comes in the 1 mile 4 furlong Group Three and Tiger Moth should be a class above this field dropping back in grade.

The three year old is lightly raced for this stage in the season, racing once as a juvenile and progressing massively this term when getting off the mark on seasonal debut in an 18 runner maiden.

He stepped up for the Irish Derby at the end of June and was a head second to Santiago which is great form especially dropping into a Group Three.

He takes on some nice runners but he is the class act in the field and should be fresh having not been seen since the Irish Classic.

The final runner on Saturday for us is Agitare for Jim Bolger and Kevin Manning with the three year old being highly consistent in these types of handicaps.

The gelding this season has been seen five times and he has placed in four of those races whilst being in and around the frame in the other contest.

Two starts ago he finished fourth of 20 in the Irish Cambridgeshire in heavy ground and then backed that up with a solid third in Listed company.

That form looks in this field and goes off the same mark as those two runs at 97.