John Ingles provides an overview of the key things to note on Thursday.
Audience could take some catching
Leopardstown’s evening card features a couple of Group 3 contests, starting with the Desmond Stakes (18:00) over a mile. Heading the Timeform weight-adjusted ratings here is Jim Bolger’s filly Sparan Nua who lost her unbeaten record but showed her best form last time when running on late for a never-nearer third to Johanna Walsh in the Irish Oaks. While she won over a mile on her debut, she has improved over longer trips and it’s a surprise to see her dropping back markedly in trip, though her trainer is keeping all options open for her distance-wise judging from future entries in the Sun Chariot Stakes as well as the Yorkshire Oaks.
Sparan Nua looks worth opposing, therefore, and it could be worth taking a chance on one of the two British-trained runners Audience to put his best foot forward. His career highlights came in 2024 when he won the Lockinge Stakes and Lennox Stakes for the Gosdens, though he’s not the most reliable – hence the ‘§’ on his rating – and he hasn’t won since, joining David O’Meara this season.
However, Audience is still capable of smart form and has strung a couple of better efforts together on his last two starts. Both of those have come in Ireland with Colin Keane in the saddle and he keeps the ride here. Going with zest in front, Audience was collared late over seven furlongs in both those starts, finishing second to Native Warrior in the Ballycorus Stakes at Leopardstown and then third to Power Blue in the Minstrel Stakes at the Curragh. Keane clearly gets a tune out of Audience, and he could prove difficult to catch around here.
Ethical Diamond stands out down in grade
Leopardstown’s other Group 3 is the Ballycorus Stakes (18:30) over a mile and a half where last year’s Breeders’ Cup Turf winner Ethical Diamond tops the bill. After a hurdles campaign, he proved a revelation when Willie Mullins, who has the ‘Hot Trainer’ flag, switched him back to the Flat in 2025, winning the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes at Royal Ascot and then the Ebor before a smooth transition to top-level company at Del Mar where he produced an impressive turn of foot in a race run at an end-to-end gallop to deny Rebel’s Romance a third win in the Turf.
Ethical Diamond has been sparingly campaigned again this season but hasn’t shown what he can do in either of his starts, being well below his best in both the Dubai Sheema Classic in March and the Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot. However, after taking on the likes of Calandagan and Kalpana in those races, Ethical Diamond takes a marked drop in class now and doesn’t have a penalty to carry, either, against lesser rivals. Ryan Moore takes the ride, reunited with him for the first time since Royal Ascot last year, and this looks an ideal opportunity for Ethical Diamond to resume winning ways.
The two three-year-olds in the field could give him most to do, with Hampton Court Stakes runner-up Endorsement, who is having his first start for Joseph O’Brien (formerly with his father) and Asakir, another who ran at Royal Ascot last time; he didn’t do himself justice in the Queen’s Vase but may resume progress back down in trip.
Ultrasoul bidding for four-timer
Field sizes are still small at Britain’s turf meetings but there are more runners on the tapeta at Southwell and their class 2 handicap over eleven furlongs (20:26) looks a competitive race. Most of the field are covered by just 4 lb in the Timeform weight-adjusted ratings, but the one who’s on a roll is ‘Hot Trainer’ Roger Varian’s four-year-old Ultrasoul.
This will be just his second start of the year, having begun his winning run in a two-runner novice at Kempton last September. He has successfully stepped up in trip since back on turf, following up in a handicap at Nottingham later in the autumn and then completing his hat-trick on his reappearance over a mile and a quarter at Chester in June despite being forced wide early on the final circuit and catching a bump approaching the final furlong. He takes another step up in trip again now, though on his dam’s side he’s bred to appreciate these sorts of distances, being out of the Prix de Diane winner Channel.
Ultrasoul will be partnered by Hong Kong-based jockey Vincent Ho, best known as the partner of their champion Golden Sixty and set to captain the Hong Kong team in Saturday’s Shergar Cup at Ascot. Ho has ridden winners in Britain before during the Hong Kong summer break, though this will be his first ride for the Varian stable. With Ultrasoul unexposed over middle distances, he has to be taken seriously.
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