Irish Champions Stakes Day – Copybet
Leopardstown stages arguably the best Irish Flat meeting of the year on Saturday afternoon, the Irish Champions Stakes and Matron Stakes the highlight of a fantastic nine-race card as Irish Champions Weekend gets up and running.
Alongside the two Group 1s, there’s a pair of Group 2s, a Group 3 and Listed race and the remainder of the fixture is made up of three ultra competitive Premier Handicaps.
The action gets underway at 14:15 and concludes at 18:40, kicking off with the Listed Ballylinch Stud Irish EBF Ingabelle Stakes, in which Aidan O’Brien’s Diamond Necklace is likely to be a warm order.
Alakazi – Leopardstown
Johnny Murtagh’s ALAKAZI looked a horse of superstar potential when slamming his rivals in a maiden over this course-and-distance in April and, whilst he’s not quite reached the heights that may have been expected of him, he’s been run some good races in defeat, including behind re-opposing British raider, Johan, last time.
The Footstepsinthesand colt has looked a strong stayer at a mile and found the pedestrian early pace conspiring against him when second in the Group 3 Desmond Stakes here last month.
However, he was only beaten half-a-length and is firmly expected to turn the tables on Jack Channon’s charge, who will likely face competition for the lead with the front-running Skukuza in opposition now. Expect Ben Coen’s mount to come home strongly and mow them all down.
Delacroix – Leopardstown
The absence of Ombudsman is surely music to the ears of Aidan O’Brien and DELACROIX, who had only just scrambled home ahead of John and Thady Gosden’s charge in the Eclipse at Sandown before finishing comfortably behind him in the Juddmonte International at York last month.
There’s no doubt that the son of Dubawi has his quirks, but his form simply amounts to more than his seven rivals and his current mark of 126 puts him upwards of 3lb clear.
Add in the fact that he’ll be in receipt of 6lb weight-for-age allowance, and he’s very hard to oppose, with Christophe Soumillion a more than capable deputy for the injured Ryan Moore.
Mighty Danu – Leopardstown
There’s sure to be a lot of interest around Aidan O’Brien’s Diamond Necklace, the €1.7m half-sister to Group 1 winners Magic Wand and Irish Oaks winner Chicquita, having won on her debut at the Curragh last month.
However, at even money, she represents little in terms of value in a race full of unknowns and I’d be more inclined to take a chance on Henry De Bromhead’s MIGHTY DANU, who only got the hang of things late in the day when sprouting wings to score on her debut at Galway last month.
A half-sister to German 1m winner Poppy Pimento, she looked unlikely to trouble the judge entering the final furlong, but suddenly took off and got up close home ahead of the more experienced Bellamano, who has since finished runner-up in a nursery off a mark of 79. She’ll be sharper for that and should give a good account upped in class at decent odds.