Saturday's G1 Irish Champion S. at Leopardstown, a “Win And You're In” for the GI Breeders' Cup Turf in at Keeneland in November, turned out every bit as exhilarating as it had promised, with no hint of fluke or ill fortune and a cluster in contention approaching the furlong pole. That was before Ballydoyle's comeback kid Luxembourg (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) forged ahead late on to deny the TDN Rising Star Onesto (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) in another stirring finish in which this race tends to specialise. We can now say with more conviction than before that the colt who had the world at his feet after last year's G1 Futurity Trophy was possibly robbed of Classic victory by his injury as he jumped back in during the opening day's feature of his country's biggest weekend. All memories of the heavy weather he had made of marking his return with success in The Curragh's G3 Royal Whip Aug. 13 melted away as the 7-2 shot fought off the ultra-game G1 Grand Prix de Paris hero to prevail by half a length. There was a further 1 1/4 lengths back to Vadeni (Fr) (Churchill {Ire}) in third as the 3-year-olds dominated in the absence of Shadwell's giant shadow-caster.
Perhaps it is a date with Baaeed (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) that now awaits Luxembourg, who was providing the Westerberg connection with its greatest day. “The plan was always the Guineas, the Derby, the Irish Derby and then a rest before this and then the Arc,” the ultimate target-trainer revealed as he basked in an astounding 11th Irish Champion for his team. “That was the dream and we felt if we could get him back then it would be three races for him–the Curragh, here and the Arc. We went to the Royal Whip when he was ready to do a piece of work, so that was a massive one–you don't usually send a horse to a group race with 20 to 30 per cent of improvement to come. When he did what he did there, we knew we had a chance.”
Luxembourg, who had dazzled with his sectionals on debut at Killarney in July and in The Curragh's G2 Beresford S. in September, had cut a different figure when less flashy in Doncaster's end-of-term examination but was nevertheless able to safeguard his unbeaten record in comfortable fashion. Stumbling leaving the stalls for the 2000 Guineas before it all unravelled on the Rowley Mile, he was still on the heels of the Godolphin pair at the death that day so it was cruel that the public was denied what would have been a clash to remember with Desert Crown (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) at Epsom. After that contemporary had run away with the blue riband, it was remarkable how quickly Ballydoyle's number one was cast from the story.
With his Royal Whip re-entry only a workmanlike one, he had plenty to prove here against a small but stellar cast who all had the jump on him as far as race-hardening goes. As it turned out, what his rivals both the same age and older had in hand in that regard was negated by the obvious class advantage that he possesses and which was only evident as he crossed the line. As expected, his stablemate Stone Age (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) set a demanding pace as he waited along with the French duo, detached just far enough that there was no slackening of the rope. With the 7-4 favourite Vadeni forced to go towards the inside approaching the furlong pole, it was clear that the Aga Khan's star colt was too far adrift from Luxembourg and Onesto's private argument which the Ballydoyle runner won with a decisive final thrust 50 yards out.
“Since the Royal Whip, he's had tough hard graft and has taken it with a smile on his face which is unusual,” O'Brien added. “He was very much on the back foot the minute he got injured, but we knew that what he did in the Guineas meant that he was really good and a little bit different. He is brave too, he had to take it all and he had to fight again today. This is for a lot of people, for Killian who rides him every day, Stephen who rides his lead horse, Derek who looks after him, Jamie who is in charge of him, Wayne who rides him in all his work and Ryan who gave him an incredible ride. We didn't think we'd get him to The Curragh, but we had to push for it and the team made it happen.”
Christophe Soumillon believed that Vadeni's level dipped slightly from the Jockey Club and Eclipse, “I was very confident throughout the race–he was travelling probably a bit keen but not over-racing, just a bit fresh,” he explained. “He gave a little blow as Mishriff came to my outside and then quickened quite well but I'm sure he was not at 100 per cent and the ground is not for him. It is a little bit loose on top and not like it was at Sandown or Chantilly. If I had been able to stay out there and follow Ryan I would have, but I could feel the horse give a little blow and I wanted to give him a bit longer to recover. You still have to respect him, there are big races coming for him and the French Derby formline is there with Onesto running so well. I would probably have finished a bit closer with a clearer run, but I'm sure the winner is a great horse as well.”
Jean-Claude Rouget revealed that there will be no meeting with the winner and Baaeed in Paris for Vadeni. “He was having to do a slalom, like in skiing, so it was quite a good run,” he said. “He was in front of Mishriff like he was last time and we can't win every race. I think he was a bit unlucky, but I think the result is correct with a very strong pace in front. I don't know what the plan is, but not the Arc. Maybe he goes to Ascot [for the Oct. 15 G1 Qipco British Champion S.] if the ground is better.”
Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}), who was an honest fourth without ever threatening, could be Breeders' Cup-bound according to Prince Faisal's racing manager Ted Voute. “Post-race, John Gosden would like to consider the Breeders' Cup Turf over a mile and a half,” he said. “Colin Keane felt the ground was drying and felt a bit dead, which he wasn't happy on. He finished well, considering. Prince Faisal has said that the Breeders' Cup wasn't out of the question, provided he comes out of the race well.”
Pedigree Notes
Luxembourg, who is one of his sire's 10 group 1 winners and arguably the leader of the pack after this performance, is out of Attire (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) who also produced the G2 Mooresbridge S. scorer Leo De Fury (Ire) (Australia {GB}) and the G3 1000 Guineas Trial-placed Sense Of Style (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}). She is a full-sister to the G3 Glorious S. winner Forgotten Voice (Ire) and kin to the G3 Prix de Flore scorer Australie (Ire) (Sadler's Wells), who is in turn responsible for the listed winner and G3 Diamond S.-placed Hawke (Ire) (Oratorio {Ire}) and is the second dam of this year's Listed Churchill S. winner and G3 Tyros S. runner-up Hellsing (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}).
Also connected to the Listed Criterium de Lyon scorer and G3 Prix Thomas Bryon runner-up Private Jet (Fr) (Aussie Rules) and the Listed Prix Marchand d'Or winner and G3 Prix de Ris-Orangis runner-up Princedargent (Fr) (Kendargent {Fr}), Attire is a granddaughter of the esteemed Wildenstein matriarch Albertine (Fr) (Irish River {Fr}) whose high-class descendants are numerous and include Arcangues and the triple group 1-winning Prix de Diane heroine Aquarelliste (Fr) by Danehill Dancer's sire Danehill (Danzig), who was runner-up to Sakhee when attempting the Arc. Attire's winning 2-year-old full-brother to Luxembourg, Hiawatha (Ire), is well-regarded at Ballydoyle having cost €1.2million at last year's Goffs Orby, while she also has a yearling filly and a filly foal again by Camelot.
Saturday, Leopardstown, Britain
IRISH CHAMPION S.-G1, €1,000,000, Leopardstown, 9-10, 3yo/up, 10fT, 2:12.10, sf.
1–LUXEMBOURG (IRE), 129, c, 3, by Camelot (GB)
1st Dam: Attire (Ire), by Danehill Dancer (Ire)
2nd Dam: Asnieres, by Spend a Buck
3rd Dam: Albertine (Fr), by Irish River (Fr)
(150,000gns Ylg '20 TATOCT). O-Westerberg, Mrs J Magnier, M Tabor, D Smith; B-B V Sangster (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Ryan Moore. €580,000. Lifetime Record: G1SW-Eng, 6-5-0-1, $936,596. *1/2 to Leo De Fury (Ire) (Australia {GB}), GSW-Ire, $156,911. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Onesto (Ire), 129, c, 3, Frankel (GB)–Onshore (GB), by Sea The Stars (Ire).
'TDN Rising Star'. (185,000gns Ylg '20 TATOCT; $535,000 2yo '21 OBSAPR). O-Gerard Augustin-Normand; B-Diamond Creek Farm (IRE); T-Fabrice Chappet. €200,000.
3–Vadeni (Fr), 129, c, 3, Churchill (Ire)–Vaderana (Fr), by Monsun (Ger).
O-H H Aga Khan; B-Haras De S A Aga Khan SCEA (FR); T-Jean-Claude Rouget. €100,000.
Margins: HF, 1 1/4, 3/4. Odds: 3.50, 11.00, 1.75.
Also Ran: Mishriff (Ire), Stone Age (Ire), Alenquer (Fr), Broome (Ire).
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