Five horses to follow on Longines Irish Champions Weekend

Since its inception back in 2014, Longines Irish Champions Weekend has become one of the highlights of the Flat racing calendar in the world.

Staged across Leopardstown and the Curragh, there are just the six Group Ones for punters to savour, along with plenty of other Group action and ultra-competitive handicaps.

I have picked five horses to keep on side across the two-day bonanza which can hopefully pay for a Guinness or two. But remember, please gamble, and drink, responsibly!

Race: Irish Champion Stakes (3.45pm, Saturday).

Unbeaten as a two-year-old, the son of Camelot shaped with stacks of promise behind the ill-fated Coroebus in the QIPCO 2000 Guineas on his seasonal reappearance at Newmarket.

Having stumbled leaving the stalls, he made up a stack of ground to finish third, shaping as though he would relish the step up to 12 furlongs for the Derby.

It was therefore a real shame for fans that we did not get to see Luxembourg take on Desert Crown in at Epsom, with the former sustaining an injury.

The three-year-old returned to action in the Royal Whip Stakes over ten furlongs at the Curragh in August and clearly needed the run. He was niggled along coming into the straight and, at one stage, looked certain to get beat by Insinuendo, who was giving Aidan O’Brien’s charge 5lb plus was officially rated 10lb inferior.

However, Luxembourg gamely responded to pressure to record a workmanlike win. Speaking this week, jockey Ryan Moore is adamant we will see a different Luxembourg in the Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes, although this is clearly no easy task.

Vadeni was impressive in the Coral-Eclipse and has been kept fresh for this contest by Jean-Claude Rouget who won it with Almanzor in 2016, whilst Mishriff has proved valiant with runner-up efforts in the Coral-Eclipse and the Juddmonte International.

However, the selection is the one still open to any amount of improvement and with that in mind, he has to be towards the top of any shortlist.

Race: Coolmore America ‘Justify’ Matron Stakes (4.55pm, Saturday).

One of the most exciting prospects in the sport returns to action in this Group One contest on Saturday. Trained masterfully, and patiently, by Dermot Weld, she impressed on her return at Leopardstown in April and confirmed her brilliance when readily landing the Irish 1,000 Guineas.

The Frankel filly’s most devastating asset is her explosive turn of foot, which she readily displayed at the Curragh on that occasion. Two from three at Leopardstown, this track holds no fears, and she comes into this race much fresher than some of her rivals.

She is clearly tricky to train and has not been seen for 111 days, but this looks the start of what could be an exciting autumn for a miler of immense promise.

Race: Moyglare Jewels Blandford Stakes (1.50pm, Sunday).

Another exciting filly who has been off the track since May. She defeated Thoughts Of June in a maiden at Leopardstown in April before suffering a reversal with the same filly in the Cheshire Oaks in May. However, she was caught too far back on the Roodee on that occasion and would have benefited from a more positive ride.

Only beaten a neck there, she enjoyed the drop back in trip when landing the Prix Saint-Alary in fine style at Longchamp in May. Ridden more prominently, she picked up in fine style to score and while the form of that race has taken a few knocks, she looks another who could be in for a successful autumn.

Race: Moyglare Stud Stakes (3.00pm, Sunday).

Meditate is an interesting runner for Aidan O’Brien, but she didn’t impress me that much over seven furlongs on her latest start, and Tahiyra created quite the impression on debut at Galway for the master of Rosewell House, Dermot Weld.

A half-sister to the yard’s brilliant Group One heroine Tarnawa, there were so many positives to take out of this debut victory. Having broken smartly, she travelled powerfully into contention heading into the straight and put the race to bed in a matter of strides.

I was struck by just how professional she was and, despite being slow to come to hand, according to Weld, he clearly rates the daughter of Siyouni highly.

The runner-up has won since and whilst the form is not overly strong, she has to be one to follow this weekend, given just how much untapped potential she could have.

Race: Irish Stallion Farms EBF ‘Petingo’ Handicap (5.30pm, Saturday).

No five to follow piece is complete without a pick in one of the ultra-competitive handicaps across the two days, and the Petingo is a particular favourite of mine.

Willie Mullins has won three of the past nine renewals of this race, and is well represented, with Tom Marquand an interesting jockey booking on Baby Zeus.

However, preference is for Dutch Schultz. He shaped with stacks of promise in an event Galway in July, which is arguably the pick of his efforts on the Flat, despite winning by eight lengths at Gowran Park on the level in October 2021.

A winner of a Newbury maiden when trained in England by Ralph Beckett, he remains open to stacks of improvement and has to be of interest in this event, given he is a guaranteed stayer plus is durable in terms of ground conditions. He remains unexposed on the Flat too and has to enter calculations here.