Leopardstown Saturday Preview

The first race of Irish Champions weekend is a cracker with the Listed Ingabelle Stakes over seven furlongs and sees some high quality juveniles go to post.

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.

The Petingo Handicap sees a big 18 runner field go to post and we have sided with the Jim Bolger trained Trossachs who looks a very consistent colt.

The three year old has ran to a good standard all year only finishing outside the top three once in the last six races and that still was a good fourth at Leopardstown.

12 furlong handicaps are his bread and butter and although taking on some tougher horses in this race his consistency warrants him to be respected and should be in the mix.

One of our most interesting selections on the afternoon in Ireland is Aidan O'Brien's Mogul who runs in the Group Two Champions Juvenile Stakes over a mile.

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.

A competitive Group Three over 1 mile 4 furlongs comes next with plenty of ability in the field and the Joseph O'Brien trained Buckhurst will be tough to beat.

The three year old colt has been in inspiring form of late winning back to back race at 1 mile 2f and now stepping up in trip should give another good account of himself going in search of a hat-trick.

His last two wins have come in Group Three events which means he shouldn't be outclassed at this level and with previous from of winning on good ground he has a lot going for him.

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 is at the forefront of the Leopardstown meeting for us and we fancy another of his runners in the next race with the highly progressive Lancaster House in the Group two Boomerang Stakes.

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.

Another race and another Aidan O'Brien horse that we fancy with the Ballydoyle trainer cleaning up at this meeting for the past 10 years, his horses can't be overlooked.

In the Group One Matron Stakes for Fillies and Mares we have gone with 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.

The final runner of the Leopardstown meeting for us is Current Option for trainer Adrian McGuinness in the Sovereign Path Handicap over seven furlongs.

This three year old has been in really progressive form of late never finishing outside of the top three in all seven of his races and just being pipped last time out in a 25 runner handicap.

He drops back a furlong from that run that should help things with him not staying the mile last time out but with his form in the last two seasons he looks sure to be in the mix again here.