British-trained runners at this year's Irish Champions Festival

Saturday’s Group One contenders: Click here to read about the three British-trained runners in the Matron Stakes and here to read about the two British contenders in the Irish Champion Stakes.

Trainer: Jack Channon

Race: Listed Ballylinch Stud Irish EBF Ingabelle Stakes (2.15 Leopardstown – Saturday)

This daughter of Havana Grey is second favourite for the seven-furlong Listed contest to start the Festival and has three races under her belt – her two rivals in the betting have ran just the once.

Yet to encounter ground softer than good, she won over 6f on debut in June before running creditably in defeat in the Princess Margaret Stakes at Ascot. She ran to a similar level to that when fourth in the Prestige Stakes at Goodwood last time out when tackling seven furlongs for the first time.

That form looks stronger now that the third-placed finisher Aylin landed the May Hill Stakes on Thursday. Sukanya was just three quarters of a length behind her last month. As you might expect, this race has plenty of lightly raced types with the potential to improve massively on what they have shown so far.

Ronan Whelan takes the ride and, interestingly, the three market leaders are all drawn next to each other here, with the Aidan O’Brien-trained favourite Diamond Necklace next to Sukanya in stall four, whilst Gavin Cromwell’s debut winner Mighty Danu is next widest in stall five.

Trainer: William Haggas

Race: Group Three CMG Group Stakes (3.50 Leopardstown – Saturday)

It is testament to the training skills of William Haggas and his team that this horse is still running so well at the age of eight. He is not even the yard’s oldest possible runner this weekend, as the nine-year-old Hamish is entered at Chester, too.

Rated 115, he is top of the pile on ratings, but he does not have lots in hand. He carries a 3lb penalty for his Group Three wins this term, plus with weight-for-age factored in, he has to give the progressive Convergent 11lb.

Connections will be hoping he has plenty of pace to aim at, as he is almost always held up at the rear of the field. With Jim Crowley injured, Daniel Tudhope takes the ride for the first time. He has ridden plenty of big winners for the yard over the years.

Trainer: Ed Dunlop

Race: Group Two Tonybet Solonaway Stakes (4.55 Leopardstown – Saturday)

At the time of writing, this four-year-old is just about favourite for this very valuable Group Two over a mile and, perhaps encouragingly, his best effort of the season came in Ireland in late June when he made all to win a Curragh Listed race by over two lengths.

He was then sent off a 5-1 chance for the Golden Mile Handicap at the Qatar Goodwood Festival and finished ninth under top weight. He shaped better than the result when a close third in York’s Strensall Stakes last time, too.

I suspect he would not want too much rain, but he looks a big player should it not get too testing with Chris Hayes in the saddle.

Trainer: Jack Channon

Race: Group Two Tonybet Solonaway Stakes (4.55 Leopardstown – Saturday)

The second Jack Channon-traned runner on Saturday and second British raider in this contest is the veteran Johan.

The ex William Haggas-trained eight-year-old also has winning form in Ireland this season and that came last time out over this very course and distance in the Desmond Stakes. That effort last month (he also made all) remains his only start this year. Ronan Whelan retains the ride.

His best performances have all came fresh so whilst a positive is his ability to go on any ground, he is not necessarily sure to improve for his most recent run.

Trainer: Ollie Sangster

Race: Irish Stallion Farms EBF Bold Lad Sprint Premier Handicap (1.30 Curragh – Sunday)

What a journey this horse has been on for Pompey Ventures. Winless through his first three starts, beaten a total of 24 and a half lengths, wind surgery last winter seemed to work the oracle as he then won three on the bounce from an opening mark of 61.

Placed efforts at Ascot and Goodwood followed in the spring and he has won his last two starts to take him to a mark of 93.

He heads to the Curragh on Sunday with a big chance of recording a sixth career victory and soft ground would only help his cause.

He is likely to get a strong pace to aim at here at that will help his running style, for all the race is likely to be ultra-competitive.

Trainer: Karl Burke

Race: Tattersalls Ireland Super Auction Sales Stakes (2.05 Curragh – Sunday)

Karl Burke is fast closing in on an incredible 50 wins with two-year-olds this season. One of those already on that tally is the Dandy Man colt Alparslan, who pulverised the opposition on debut at Leicester over seven furlongs last month.

Sent off at odds of 14-1 against a well-bred odds-on favourite, it was a surprised to see him run so well, let alone win by five lengths. The step down half a furlong in trip here is unlikely to be any issue, but one issue could be soft ground. 

It is hard to say how strong this race is, there is little form on the book to go on, but this colt made the most eye-catching debut of the lot and could be very smart.