Our columnist with a race-by-race guide to day one of the Irish Champions Festival at Leopardstown on Saturday.
13:35 Ballylinch Stud Irish EBF Ingabelle Stakes
We kick off with a race that could have a potential star in the shape of Timeless Tale who is trained by Willie McCreery. This daughter of Sioux Nation was ultra-impressive when winning her maiden by eight-and-a-half lengths on debut at Naas three weeks ago. Given the manner in which she won that race she is a worthy favourite.
However, she has some deep competition to take on and given the nature of Leopardstown and the seven-furlong start, there's only a furlong run to the first bend, this race can get quite messy. It certainly has over the years.
It can often pay to be on the speed and as a consequence I will be taking the favourite on with IBELIEVEICANFLY for Ryan Moore and Aidan O'Brien. She's also declared in the Moyglare Stud Stakes and isn't the easiest of rides, she can be her own worst enemy, but when it came together for her she was impressive when winning off a strong gallop at the Curragh two starts ago.
Afterwards she ran well in a Group Two back at the same track behind Green Empress. With stall one to play with and given her overall experience, and freegoing tendencies, going around a bend could be the making of her and I can see Ryan letting her roll down to that first bend and if she finds a rhythm on the front, she'll be hard to pass.
14:10 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Sovereign Path Handicap
Eight of the last ten winners have come from a double-figure stall which can often be down to traffic problems towards the inside and a frantic pace. It often pays to be with a closer in this race and lots of people will be drawn to last year's winner Rahmi who is 10lb lower this time.
Gleneagle Bay could be of interest too but for me I like the three-year-old ORO BLANCO now he's got into the race for Jessica Harrington. He was set quite a stiff task on his handicap debut in the Scurry Handicap at the Curragh back in July and he acquitted himself despite being outpaced and showing signs of greeness. He didn't seem to like the quick ground either but still ran very respectably to be beaten only five lengths.
With the benefit of that run, another furlong to play with a mid-tier draw, he has to be of interest.
14:45 HKJC World Pool Golden Fleece Stakes
This is the first running of the race as a Group One and as you'd expect in a top-flight race over a nine-furlong trip, Aidan O'Brien is well represented with four runners.
It's great to have Charlie Appleby over with the very promising Quest For Stars who is three from three to date but he will need to step up to cope with DARKNESS FALLS who was probably as impressive a juvenile maiden winner as we've seen this season.
He won on his second start at the Curragh by seven lengths, a big step forward from his first run, and with another furlong to play with, Darkness Falls sets a huge standard and is firmly the one to be with here.
15:15 World Pool Bet With The Tote Kilternan Stakes
You could almost call this a trial for the Melbourne Cup as all three of Joseph O'Brien's runners are surely bound for there. Goodie Two Shoes was second in that race last year, Sons And Lovers is a multiple Group winner over further and makes his return after a break under Oisin Murphy and the Derby-placed James J Braddock, who was gelded after performing way below par in the Irish equivalent at the Curragh.
Each of the three of them may well be better when they get to Australia rather than over a mile-and-a-half at Leopardstown and all eyes will be on PURVIEW. If Dermot Weld has a star horse in his yard it's this fellow who has been ultra-impressive in two starts this season.
The form of his win in the International Stakes last time is strong, the trainer has alluded to him being a potential horse for the British Champion Stakes, the Arc and arguably most interesting the Breeders' Cup Turf. Given the manner in which he's won and with more to come back up in distance, he sets a huge standard here. He has everything in his favour.
15:45 Coolmore America 'Justify' Matron Stakes
Blue Bolt has beaten Precise the last twice but the latter is back at a track that should suit her well, racing around a bend. That could see her - from stall one - be very competitive.
If the race tactically plays to her advantage she cold potentially get first run on BLUE BOLT. However, that filly looks very much a push-button type of ride. Despite hanging left inside the final furlong she has done enough to beat her rival the last twice and with a clear run I think she can just about confirm that superiority, but tactically it will be fascinating.
Ignore True Love at your peril too, I thinks she could be better going around a bend after a couple of recent defeats. It probably is all about the favourite, but it's a fascinating race.
16:25 TonyBet Solonaway Stakes
Isaac Newton looks to be the Ballydoyle first string having found a good level in Group Three company this season and might step forward to win again here but he might need to taking on quite a deep field which includes Power Blue.
He was a Group One winner last season and may well get involved here if things fall his way tactically but the team who the race four years ago, the Crisfords, have a most interesting challenger in QUDDWAH.
He has a very strong record when returning off a break and has very strong form including when second to Ombudsman at Meydan when last seen in March.
17:00 Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes
Tactics are always fascinating in this and Aidan O'Brien bids to restore the reputation of Constitution River this time around. On paddock inspection, and going to the start, he looked very buzzed up at York last time and indeed ran with the choke out for much of the Juddmonte International.
Given the way the race developed for him and the energy he looked to use, it was probably a creditable effort to be beaten less than four lengths by Item and Almaqam. It was a below-par run though and keep an eye on him in the preliminaries again. It's a quieter environment than York but he still has a good walk from the stable yard to the main parade ring.
If he's on his best behaviour he has the ability to take a strong hand here but Item has been flawless but for one mishap, like many horses had on the ground in the Derby at Epsom this year. He found a way to win at York and Almaqam is more than good enough to win this race too.
It will be a strongly-run race, you'd imagine, as Lambourn and Hawk Mountain go a good enough gallop to allow Constitution River to relax. If he does he can get involved on the home turn. For all he has the best overall form, I just get the impression ITEM finds a way to win. If he brings his York form to the table, he'll provide a stern test for them all.
17:35 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Petingo Handicap
Three-year-olds have won the race in the last few years and in the 16 runnings of it, in 14 of the 16 it's been a double-figure and high draws to the fore again probably highlighting the traffic problems that horses can suffer around here with a maximum field.
Three stand out to me. Cannes towards the top of the market and bring strong form from Ascot and Goodwood and would have to have a major say with Colin Keane taking the ride. His stable companion Yousaynothingatall is highly interesting to me with Oisin Murphy riding.
He was unfortunate not to win a handicap two starts ago at the Curragh but made no mistake upped in trip there next time. I also like Wy Man who has a very good record at this track and looked to get tired inside the last half furlong in a Listed race last time having made the running.
With extra places on offer, I'm going with YOUSAYNOTHINGATALL despite being drawn in 21. The trends say you want to be with a three-year-old in a high draw and he may well be the answer this time.
18:10 World Pool Bet With Tote Autumn Fillies Handicap
The show rolls on to another deep handicap where three-year-olds Rebel Wave and Suzie Songs arrive here bang in form. They will be very competitive but I prefer another member of the Classic generation.
Maybe I'm a glutton for punishment but we'll give one more go to DROP DEAD GORGEOUS for Aidan O'Brien and Ryan Moore. This daughter of Dubawi has not really excelled since finishing an unlucky third in a Group Three at the Curragh back in May.
Her form has tapered off quite markedly, much to my cost, but perhaps if she is ever going to repeat what she did on her first two runs this season, into a strongly-run handicap off a mark of 93 with a five pounds weight-for-age allowance might just be the day.
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