Irish Champions Festival: three course specialists to note

Race: Coolmore America ‘Justify’ Matron Stakes (Group 1) Previous course starts: 5 Percentage of rivals beaten: 88%

Zarinsk continued her love affair with Fockrock last time and in her highest grade at Leopardstown so far, landing the rescheduled Romanised Minstrel Stakes that was originally intended to be run at The Curragh.

The Kodiac filly deserves extra credit for that success, too, given that she was drawn widest of all and showed her customary early dash under Colin Keane to tack all the way across and make all on the rail for trainer Colin Keane and owners Juddmonte.

The trainer described Zarinsk as “a queen” afterwards and she has proven one of the real high points in a season that has not quite hit the heights for her excellent yard. The three-year-old ran out a juvenile winner at the Irish Champions Festival last season and can’t be dismissed on this Group One bow given the venue.

Zarinsk has an excellent course record with three victories from five starts at Foxrock, beating 38 of 43 rivals, with her latest Leopardstown victory and at Group Two level deserving additional credit given she tacked over from the widest draw to grab the rail and make all to win.

The Kodiac filly made all to win at last year’s Irish Champions Festival and, given she is versatile regarding ground and trip, she will likely be in the shake-up once again.

Race: Al Basti Equiworld, Dubai Flying Five Stakes Previous course starts: 4 Percentage of rivals beaten: 100%

This remarkable sprinter provides no better illustration for the trusty adage of ‘horses for courses’ and bids for a brilliant five-timer at the Curragh at Group One level on Sunday.

Art Power has won eight races and five of them have been in Ireland, with that record underlined by that fact that his three remaining domestic wins have come in Newcastle and York victories – albeit impressive ones - before a Royal Ascot win in the Palace Of Holyrood Stakes off an admittedly appealing perch of 97.

It's notable that Art Power has not just won all four starts at the Curragh but dotted up in each of them – his smallest winning margin is by three lengths – while he’s done it on all types of ground and most recently over the minimum trip of five furlongs.

This assignment will be harder against a stronger British cohort, but the likeable grey will be a warm order to improve on an outstanding course record.

Race: Irish EBF “Northfields” Handicap Previous course starts: 5 Percentage of rivals beaten: 86%

The evergreen 11-year-old is unsurprisingly best associated with Galway given his nine consecutive appearances at the famous festival and two Galway Hurdle triumphs, but Tudor City is yet to run a bad race at the home of Irish Flat racing and can’t be underestimated in the Irish Champions Festival finale.

Tudor City has hit the places on all five starts at the Curragh and in big handicaps with at least 16 runners, while his latest course success was in impressive style in the Apprentice Derby back in June.

Regarding that improvement in form, connections stated that Tudor City had thrived since his run last time – his first after a break – but surely his affinity for the Curragh had some sort of role to play too.

His mark of 76 isn’t a gimme by any means and he’s not improving at this stage of his career, but it’s not high enough to stop him from running well either and after disappointing in the Galway Hurdle last time he could reward each-way support at likely generous odds.