The Christmas Day team after the Derby

Weekend panel including tips for Doncaster, the Curragh and Leopardstown

Horse Racing

Thu September 10, 2026 · 13h ago

Matt Brocklebank, Robbie Lee and Ben Linfoot discuss this weekend's action including the Betfred St Leger and Irish Champions Weekend.

What’s your take on the Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes?

Matt Brocklebank: I’ll admit there’s probably nothing between Item and Constitution River on their best form but I can certainly see why the latter tops the market. He looked the best three-year-old in Britain and Ireland when winning the Eclipse and I fully anticipate he’ll bounce back from what has to go down as a disappointment at York. The each-way value might lie elsewhere and I can see Wimbledon Hawkeye running a decent race. He’s not been with George Scott long and showed class and guts to beat Map Of Stars in a French Group 3 last month. His new connections have supplemented him for this, Christophe Soumillon keeps the ride and he might just be ridden to pick up the pieces if the three-year-olds try and knock bells out of each other from an early stage.

Ben Linfoot: I think the betting has got it spot on. Yes, Constitution River was beaten by Item and Almaqam in the Juddmonte International, but he wasn’t beaten far and I’d say he was at least half a stone below his best that day due to a set of circumstances that saw him go too fast too early after a pacemaking mess. Aidan O’Brien has won the Irish Champion 13 times and we’ve seen many raiders overwhelmed by the Ballydoyle crew in their own backyard. With Item’s best form at York and Almaqam needing more juice in the ground to be at his very best, I think Constitution River can turn the York form on its head.

Robbie Lee: I think it will be a very differently run race than what we saw in the Juddmonte International, but I still think that Item looks the one to beat for me. Colin Keane had a lot go wrong on the day but still remarkably well to win. It’s a very short price to be forgiving Constitution River in my opinion and so I think Item would be the one I’d be keeping onside.

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Are you for or against Derby winner Christmas Day in the St Leger?

BL: I’m against him as I think he’s at his very best on soft ground and conditions are not likely to be in his favour on Saturday. The trip can help him and I can still see him running well, but Enceladus looks to be assuming favouritism from him and I can see why. Joseph O’Brien’s runner looks to be improving at a rate of knots and the extra quarter mile can help him improve again.

RL: I wouldn’t be totally convinced about Christmas Day here, a combination of the drying ground and a slightly underwhelming run at York is enough to put me off. The one I like at price is Hatteen for Andrew Balding who was a ‘controversial’ second to Ifraad at Glorious Goodwood. He won the St Leger Trial at Doncaster and could be an interesting runner under Faleh Bughanaim.

MB: Christmas Day doesn’t look a vintage Derby winner by any means, he hasn’t improved his form since Epsom and I would be against him on drying ground this weekend. Pierre Bonnard might be able to confirm York superiority over his stablemate at this longer distance, despite being 5lb worse off at the weights, but the Joseph O’Brien-trained pair are very much respected too and Enceladus looks to have a bit of class, with the potential to go on progressing. I don’t mind the addition of cheekpieces and he’d be my pick for all that the antepost juice in his price is long gone now.

What else are you looking forward to on Irish Champions Weekend?

RL: The Al Basti Equiworld, Dubai July Cup winner Comanche Brave is a very interesting runner dropping back down to the minimum trip in the Flying Five Stakes for Donnacha O’Brien. The colt was very good at Newmarket under Billy Loughnane in what looked a good renewal and a first run at five furlongs looks eye catching. Already a course winner, this is one I’m excited to see back on the track.

MB: I was going to suggest Purview as my weekend banker after he was declared for the Group 3 Kilternan Stakes (rather than the Champion for which he was also entered), but stall 11 of 11 just takes a bit of shine off the bullishness. Blue Bolt has stall nine (of nine) in the Matron too so the Juddmonte shorties could clearly have fared a bit better with the draw so I’ll be backing Quddwah for Simon & Ed Crisford at a potentially more rewarding price in the G2 Solonaway Stakes instead. Last seen chasing home Ombudsman in the Dubai Turf in March, he’s got an immaculate record when fresh and he’ll be right at home in the conditions and back over the bare mile on Saturday.

BL: Loads to look forward to on a cracking weekend but Blue Bolt stands out in the Coolmore America ‘Justify’ Matron Stakes at Leopardstown on Saturday. She has simply had too much speed for Precise in their previous encounters and that could well be the case again here. She’s on a Group 1 roll now and looks one of the stars of the season, while it will be interesting to hear if the Breeders’ Cup Mile is in the plans for her at the end of the year as she looks absolutely perfect for that.

Is there a handicapper on the radar this weekend?

BL: Plenty, including Gleneagle Bay in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Sovereign Path Handicap over seven furlongs at Leopardstown on Saturday. Amo Racing have the favourite here in Benevento but their second string should not be overlooked. Stephen Thorne’s horse was sent off the 7/4 favourite for this race last year off a mark of 97 and he ran well in fourth, but he runs off 93 this time and he’s 12/1. He loves a big field handicap, still looks in good form and Colin Keane has been booked for the job.

MB: Sticking in Ireland, keep an eye out for another for Thorne as his Sir Les Patterson runs in Sunday’s ‘Bold Lad’ over six furlongs at the Curragh. He finished third in this event 12 months ago from a mark of 85 and returns only 2lb higher despite defying ratings of 90 and 99 to win sprint handicaps at Dundalk since then. He showed he was in fine form still when third off 105 back at Dundalk last month and while very effective on Polytrack, he’s evidently no mug on turf either.

RL: Last year's Old Borough Cup winner, The Reverend, is set to have his first flat run for Willie Mullins since leaving William Haggas. Last seen at the DRF when slowly making up ground before clipping heels and unseating Harry Cobden, he now is set to carry top weight in the Petingo Handicap at Leopardstown on Saturday. He is just 5lb higher than his Haydock flat success and with Sam Coen taking that off with his claim, this looks a noteworthy runner.