A
quartet of Japanese horses, last year’s Melbourne Cup winner and many of
the biggest names in Irish, British and French racing feature among the
entries for the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown on the opening day
of Longines Irish Champions Weekend on Saturday, September 10.
High-class globetrotters Panthalassa and Stay Foolish, trained by the
legendary Yoshito Yahagi, Toru Kurita’s Titleholder and Do Deuce, trained
by Yasuo Tomomichi, could well come up against 11-time Group 1 winner
Verry Elleegant in the €1m contest. She is continuing her career in
France with trainer Francis-Henri Graffard after winning the Melbourne
Cup in November when with Chris Waller.
An entry of seven from France includes Graffard’s Sealiway, winner of the
British Champion Stakes last season, the Pia and Joakim Brandt-trained
Pretty Tiger and the Jean-Claude Rouget-trained Erevann.
Charlie Appleby made history when winning the Newmarket 2,000 Guineas,
the French 2,000 Guineas and the Tattersalls Irish 2,000 Guineas with
Coroebus, Modern Games and Native Trail and they feature among a
British-trained contingent of 20. Among that number are William Haggas’
unbeaten triple Group 1 winner Baaeed, for many the best turf horse in
the world at present, and his stable companion Alenquer, successful in
last weekend’s Tattersalls Gold Cup.
Appleby’s 2021 Epsom Derby winner Adayar and the leading Epsom Derby
fancy for this year, Desert Crown, trained by Sir Michael Stoute, are
also entered, along with John and Thady Gosden’s Lord North and Mishriff,
the latter in the top 10 highest prizemoney earners of all time.
Last year’s winning trainer Aidan O'Brien has put 15 horses in the
10-furlong contest with Stone Age, Luxembourg, High Definition, Tuesday
and Changingoftheguard among those bidding to give him his 11th success.
Joseph O'Brien’s State Of Rest, Hannibal Barca and Buckaroo are
interesting early contenders along with the Paddy Twomey-trained La
Petite Coco, Noel Meade’s Layfayette, Donnacha O'Brien’s Piz Badile and
the Sheila Lavery-trained New Energy.
The versatile Verry Elleegant, a winner over eight, 10, 12 and 16
furlongs in Australia, is also an intriguing entry for the Comer Group
International Irish St Leger at the Curragh on Sunday, September
11.
There are 64 early contenders this time with rising star Kyprios, Bolshoi
Ballet and United Nations three of 15 in the race for five-time winner
Aidan O'Brien. Johnny Murtagh has entered last year’s winner
Sonnyboyliston while Joseph O'Brien has put six horses in the race with
last year’s third Baron Samedi, Raise You and Okita Soushi, first and
second in last weekend’s Listed Hanlon Concrete Orby Stakes, and Master
Of Reality included. Princess Zoe, trained by Tony Mullins, is another
top-notch entry.
Dermot Weld enjoyed a very special Curragh day on Sunday when winning the
Tattersalls Irish 1,000 Guineas with the Moyglare Stud Farm-owned
Homeless Songs and their dual Comer Group International Irish St
Leger winner Search For A Song, Falcon Eight and Azallya are his three
entries as he bids to extend his record of nine wins in the race.
Last year’s Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby winner Hurricane Lane and Manobo,
trained by Charlie Appleby, top a strong British entry of 17 horses that
includes the likes of the Roger Varian-trained Believe In Love, a winner
at Leopardstown last season, Sir Mark Prescott’s Alpinista, William
Haggas’ Gaassee and Hamish, the Owen Burrows-trained Hukum and Ralph
Beckett’s Scope.
Loft, trained by Marcel Weiss, and the Andreas Suborics-trained Diamantis,
first and third respectively in the Group 2 Comer Group International
51st Oleander-Rennen at Hoppegarten have also been entered while race
sponsor Luke Comer has made two entries, Bradesco and Seattle
Creek.
Suzanne Eade, CEO of Horse Racing Ireland, said: “There is a terrific
summer of racing ahead and we can eagerly anticipate many of the big-race
winners battling it out for both the Irish Champion Stakes and the Comer
Group International Irish St Leger in September. It’s wonderful that
there is such an international feel to the early entries for both races
and it augurs well for a thrilling renewal of Longines Irish Champions
Weekend.”
CLICK HERE FOR THE INITIAL
ENTRIES FOR THE IRISH CHAMPION STAKES
CLICK HERE FOR THE INITIAL
ENTRIES FOR THE COMER GROUP INTERNATIONAL IRISH ST LEGER |
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