8 August 2024
By Roger Kennedy
roger@TheCork.ie
Racing/Entertainment
The Irish Champion Stakes is one of the biggest races of the season in Ireland on the Flat calendar. Irish Champion Trainer Aidan O’Brien has won the open-age contest a record 12 times, and he has a strong hand once again this year.
O’Brien has 12 horses entered in this year’s renewal, with City Of Troy and Auguste Rodin expected to be his best chances of a 13th success.
Derby Winner Expected to Line Up Before Arc
City Of Troy has already established himself as one of the best horses O’Brien has ever trained, and victory in the Irish Champions Stakes will strengthen that claim. He is the 7/4 favourite in the Paddy Power horse racing odds for the Leopardstown feature.
As the race results show, City Of Troy won the Derby at Epsom earlier this season. That British Classic success came after he flopped in the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket. He showcased his stamina and speed at Epsom to prevail by two lengths.
Breeders Cup Dream Alive As City Of Troy Completes Eclipse Derby Double.
City Of Troy (3c Justify – Together Forever, by Galileo) emulated the likes of Golden Horn, Mill Reef… https://t.co/DMgk8UmLzl pic.twitter.com/8mGoGXcK6N— Ballydoyle Racing (@Ballydoyle) July 7, 2024
The Ballydoyle runner will take on the older horses at Leopardstown in the Irish Champion Stakes. He has already had one triumph in open-age company, as he won the Group One Eclipse Stakes at Sandown on his latest appearance, as per the Guardian race report.
Breeders’ Cup Champion Bidding to Defend His Crown
In a season that saw him win four major races, Auguste Rodin prevailed in last year’s running of the Irish Champion Stakes. Under the hands of Ryan Moore, he won a close contest, getting the better of his stablemate Luxembourg by just under a length.
Only two horses in history have defended their crown in the Irish Champion Stakes. Dylan Thomas won back-to-back renewals in 2006 and 2007, while Magical scored in 2019 and 2020. Both of those winners were trained by O’Brien.
What a star! Auguste Rodin wins the Breeders’ Cup Turf for Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore! #BC23 pic.twitter.com/gF091RSE4u
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) November 4, 2023
Auguste Rodin picked up the biggest victory of his career in the United States last November. The middle-distance horse won the Breeders’ Cup Turf. He has now accumulated just short of £5 million in prize money in his career.
Rivals to O’Brien’s Strong Team
Irish-based horse White Birch is expected to be the strongest challenger to O’Brien’s runners in this year’s Irish Champion Stakes. The four-year-old has been in excellent form this season, with three victories from three outings.
John Murphy’s colt won the Alleged Stakes at the Curragh on his opening start of the campaign. He then stepped up in class to land the Group Two Mooresbridge Stakes. On his latest run, he defeated Auguste Rodin to win the Group One Tattersalls Gold Cup.
The race at Leopardstown may also include Derby runner-up Ambiente Friendly, who will be having a second shot at City Of Troy. This will be his second trip across to Ireland this season as he also ran in the Irish Derby, finishing third behind Los Angeles and Sunway respectively. He will be bidding to become the first British-trained horse to win the Irish Champion Stakes since Roaring Lion in 2018.
The 2024 Irish Champion Stakes takes place on the 14th of September, which is day one of the Irish Champions Festival.
