Irish Champions Festival day two: will the favourites deliver?

The two-day Irish Champions Festival takes centre stage on Racing TV this weekend, with a litany of stars in action at the Curragh and Leopardstown.

The feature of the meeting is the €1.25 million Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes, and a further five Group One races also feature on a special double-bill of racing.

I have taken a look at some of the short-priced favourites on Saturday and Sunday, and have provided my verdict as to whether they represent banker material, or are potential blowouts!

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Race: G2 Moyglare “Jewels” Blandford Stakes (Sunday 2.25pm).

General odds: 10-11.

A narrow winner of this event 12 months ago when all-out to fend off Insinuendo, Above The Curve has again held her form well this season, with fine efforts in defeat at the highest level, but she does seem a filly who is always at her best with some cut in the ground.

She is clearly the standard-setter, and is 6lb clear on official ratings, but she could well be susceptible to an improver, most notably progressive three-year-old fillies Jackie Oh and Lumiere Rock.

The former is particularly interesting given she has already been highly-tried this term, and returned to winning ways in good style last time out.

Verdict: BLOWOUT.

Race: G1 Al Basti Equiworld Flying Five Stakes (Sunday, 2.55pm).

Odds: 13-8.

Arguably one of the trickiest races to weigh up this weekend. John Quinn’s superstar, the defending champion, lost nothing in defeat when second in the Nunthorpe, reversing form with her King’s Stand conqueror Bradsell. However, she is just starting to come up short at the top-level, with her sole win this year coming in the G2 King George Qatar Stakes, a race she simply had to win on paper. I am not suggesting that she is regressing, merely she may not quite be the force of old. Bradsell and Art Power therefore both have to come into the mix, the latter in particular given he has a perfect 4-4 record at the track, albeit he may prefer better ground. However, apart from the first three in the market, there is a distinct lack of real quality in the contest and her efforts this season suggest that she may be able to get the better of old rival Bradsell and Curragh specialist Art Power.

Verdict: BANKER.

Race: G1 Moyglare Stud Stakes (Sunday, 3.25pm).

General odds: Evens.

She looks very good having won both of her starts with relative ease. She was forced to make most of the running at Leopardstown last time out, which did not suit, and the daughter of Frankel also looked green in the closing stages.

However, she was a clear-cut winner over Vespertilio, who reopposes in this contest and has subsequently tasted Group race success of her own.

Returning to the Curragh where she broke her maiden tag, Ylang Ylang can see off her old rival and the exciting Red Viburnum, who lost nothing in defeat on debut and also looks smart.

Verdict: BANKER.

Race: G1 Goffs Vincent O’Brien National Stakes (Sunday, 4.00pm).

General odds: 4-7.

This son of Justify has carried all before him in two starts and produced the best juvenile performance of the season when landing the Superlative Stakes at Newmarket.

The further he went, the better he looked, and there is even talk of him contesting the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile on the dirt before the season is out.

He slammed some smart juveniles at Newmarket and now returns to a track where he already boasts a course and distance win. Bred in the purple, he currently warrants his place at the top of the market for next year’s Classics, based upon his Newmarket romp, and is one of the most exciting horses on show this weekend.

Verdict: BANKER.

Race: G1 Comer Group International Irish St Leger (Sunday, 4.35pm).

General odds: 5-2.

Carried all before him last season with six wins from as many starts, with his victories including a Gold Cup, Goodwood Cup, a 20-length romp in the Prix Du Cadran, and victory in this event.

Off the track since suffering a setback earlier this season, he has also won his first start of the year in every season that he has been in training.

This is no easy assignment returning in a Group One event, but his task has arguably been made easier with Hamish not being declared, and it may be that stable companion Emily Dickinson, who has enjoyed a fine year, gives him most to think about.

He should still be tough to beat if anywhere near his brilliant best, though.

Verdict: BANKER.

Race: G2 KMPG Champions Juvenile Stakes (Saturday, 2.15pm)

General odds: 1-2.

This 2.4 million guineas purchase carried all before him on his debut when powering clear to record a four and three-quarter length success at the Curragh. A

lready towards the head of the betting for next year’s Classics, he undoubtedly looks to have a stack of potential, and his price clearly centres around his price tag, and the high regard he is held in by team Ballydoyle.

Fellow debut scorers Atlantic Coast and Capulet both command respect, but they have arguably achieved slightly less in terms of the figures, and it could be Deepone, a dual winner already this term, who could give the odds-on jolly the most to think about.

He lost nothing in defeat when second last time out and has proven form at the track. However, he lacks the star quality and potential of Aidan O’Brien’s charge who is taken to come out on top.

Verdict: BANKER.

Race: G1 Coolmore America “Justify” Matron Stakes (Saturday, 2.45pm).

General odds: 5-6.

Tahiyra is undoubtedly the one to beat for Dermot Weld.

Beaten in the 1000 Guineas on her seasonal reappearance, she has not looked back since, with victories in the Irish equivalent before a smart success in the Coronation Stakes.

It will be fascinating to see how this race shapes up tactically, and where Chris Hayes decides to position Tahiyra, given things can get messy off the turn for home at Leopardstown.

She has enjoyed a nice break since Royal Ascot in preparation for an autumn campaign, though, and she can make her visit to Leopardstown a winning one.

Zarinsk has done nothing wrong this season and boasts course and distance form, but she has 10lb to find on official ratings with Tahiyra. Meditate is certainly interesting returning from a break, given this track could play to her strengths, with Homeless Songs another to throw into the mix as she is officially rated 1lb superior to her stable companion.

Verdict: BANKER.

Race: G1 Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes (Saturday, 3.20pm).

General odds: 2-1.

The apple of trainer Roger Varian’s eye, King Of Steel is progressing with every start and backed up his Derby second with a smart win in the King Edward VII Stakes before losing nothing in defeat with a third-placed effort in the King George.

He has proved his versatility regarding the ground, but I am not so sure that the drop to ten furlongs is firmly in his favour.

He undoubtedly has a turn of foot, as showed by his Royal Ascot win, but I think he could prove vulnerable to a rival with a better finishing effort over this trip.

That horse could well be Alflaila who has gone from strength-to-strength for Owen Burrows, and the set-up of this race, which could prove tactical given the lack of pace in the race, could suit his potent turn of foot.

There is also the added conundrum of whether Auguste Rodin can confirm Derby form with King Of Steel. Kevin Stott has put on record about his regrets of going too soon for home at Epsom, but it was a comfortable enough half-length success at the line for Aidan O’Brien’s charge.

If he can bounce back to form following his King George flop, I fancy him to retain his superiority.

Verdict: BLOWOUT.

Race: G2 Dullingham Park Stakes (Saturday, 3.55pm).

General odds: 7-4.

A four-time winner last term, which included top-level glory in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, Victoria Road returned from a 284-day break when seventh to the classy Ace Impact at Deauville on his reappearance.

However, he looked badly in need of the run and did shape with some promise before his lack of a recent start told.

Interestingly, that was also his first start over ten furlongs and connections have decided to revert back to the mile for this assignment.

A return to quicker ground will also be a boost and I loved the battling qualities he displayed last year. This looks a canny bit of placing by the Ballydoyle maestro, and he can get the better of market rivals Bold Discovery and Buckaroo in the Dullingham Park Stakes.

Verdict: BANKER.

Race: G3 Paddy Power Stakes (Saturday, 4.20pm).

General odds: 2-1.

There's no doubting this six-year-old’s ability, as emphasised by his victories at Newbury and Haydock this term. The latter saw Jim Crowley to great effect as he kidded Al Aasy into the race to record a snug victory.

But there is also no denying his enigmatic qualities and I am not convinced this race will be run to suit. Adelaide River looks the likely pace angle, but Al Aasy, Layfayette and White Birch are all hold-up performers who will be looking for an out at the right time.

With that in mind, I think he might need luck in running, despite the small field, and I also think he could prove vulnerable to an improving three-year-old, namely Adelaide River and White Birch. He's my lay of the meeting.

Verdict: BLOWOUT.