Almaqam and Kieran Shoemark win the Tattersalls Gold Cup

Almaqam set to take chance in Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown

Horse Racing

Tue September 08, 2026 · 2d ago

Ed Walker isn't concerned that Almaqam appears to be being overlooked again ahead of Saturday's Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown.

The five-year-old, winner of the Group 1 Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh back in May, was narrowly denied by Item when sent off a 14/1 chance in last month's Juddmonte International at York, where the front two had Constitution River back in third.

Lambourn trainer Walker is looking forward to the challenge of taking on the Irish-trained pair again this weekend.

"Almaqam has been really fresh and well," he said on Tuesday's Nick Luck Daily Podcast.

"I was probably more likely to not take in the Irish Champion than to run in it straight after York, but he's come out of that race very well and is in great form.

"He's realistically got two more targets now this year; the Irish and the English Champion so I think we'll be having a shot. He definitely is really well suited with a little bit of ease in the ground. He's just had two very frustrating, dry summers which have made life very difficult for us.

"When he's got his conditions, he's very, very good, and in the Prince of Wales', he ran well below either the Curragh or York form, and on that quick ground he just struggles."

The current antepost markets make the Aidan O'Brien-trained Constitution River a short-priced favourite, with Item 2/1 and Almaqam as big as 8/1.

Asked what he thought of the respective prices, Walker said: "I'm not bothered, but I was quite interested when I saw a headline about the 'Juddmonte rematch' at the weekend and Almaqam didn't get a mention, which made me chuckle.

"But it doesn't matter, he's very good on his day and if he goes under the radar then that's fine by us."

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