Zahrann ready to face ultimate test in Irish Champion

Zahrann will face an acid test of his potential when stepping into elite company for the Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes next month.

Always held in the highest regard by trainer Johnny Murtagh, the son of Night Of Thunder quickly bounced back from a momentum-halting second to Ralph Beckett’s Amiloc in the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot to stylishly claim the Royal Whip Stakes earlier this month

Having seen off the likes of Aidan O’Brien’s proven Group One performer Los Angeles at the Curragh when regaining the winning thread, connections are now eager to see how the lightly-raced colt fares when moving up to the top level for the first time at Leopardstown on September 13.

“At the moment Leopardstown is the plan and our thinking behind running in the Royal Whip was to see if he could earn a spot in the Irish Champion and we think he did,” said Pat Downes, general manager at the Aga Khan’s Irish studs.

“It’s obviously looking like being a strong race, as it always is, but we’re excited to let him take his chance and see what happens.

“We certainly feel there is more improvement to come, as you need with three-year-olds at this time of the year. He possibly still looked a bit raw the last day at the Curragh, but we were really happy with his win and we’re now looking forward to what he can do against top company.

“We’ll learn a lot about him in that race.”