Weekend Lineup: Queen’s Plate, Kentucky Downs

Last week's 146th Kentucky Derby marked the second leg of the 2020 American Triple Crown and this weekend sees the Canadian Triple Crown get underway with the 161st Queen's Plate at Woodbine. The spotlight doesn't solely rest north of the border as the boutique Kentucky Downs meet hosts its marquee day of stakes on September 12. Each stakes on the Kentucky Downs program on Saturday is worth at least $500,000, with the four Grade 3 stakes highlighted by the $1 million Calumet Farm Kentucky Turf Cup at 1 1/2 miles.

TVG is the go-to network for live broadcasts of both Woodbine and Kentucky Downs racing, providing comprehensive coverage along with live racing from other tracks.

Fans of international racing can also tune in to TVG on Saturday and Sunday to morning to catch five Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In” races. On Saturday, Leopardstown will host three – the Irish Champion Stakes (Breeders' Cup Turf) , the Coolmore America “Justify” Matron Stakes (Filly & Mare Turf) and the KPMG Champions Juvenile Stakes (Juvenile Turf). The action will switch to the Curragh on Sunday for the Moyglare Stud Stakes (Juvenile Fillies Turf) and the Derrinstown Stud Flying Five Stakes (Turf Sprint).

Saturday September 12

4:27 p.m.—$500,000 Grade 3 Kentucky Downs Ladies Turf Stakes at Kentucky Downs on TVG

Trainer Chad Brown, the future Hall of Famer who is a presence at this meet for the first time, has 9-5 favorite Regal Glory in the Ladies Turf Stakes for fillies and mares. Regal Glory is a multiple graded-stakes winner, taking last year's Grade 2 Lake Placid and Grade 3 Lake George at Saratoga, along with two other stakes at age 3. In two starts this year she was second to her talented stablemate Newspaperofrecord in Belmont's Grade 3 Intercontinental and fourth to her in the Grade 1 Just a Game. Brown also entered 5-1 Tapit Today, who finished most recently was a good fourth in Monmouth Park's Grade 3 Matchmaker.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/KD091220USA7-EQB.html

4:51 p.m.—$250,000 Grade 2 Canadian Stakes at Woodbine on TVG

Art of Almost and Elizabeth Way, both trained by Roger Attfield, will take on eight rivals, including multiple Grade 1 winner Cambier Parc, in Saturday's $250,000 Canadian Stakes. Cambier Parc, who last raced nearly a year ago, has won three of her past four starts – including back-to-back Grade 1 triumphs – for OXO Equine and trainer Chad Brown. The four-year-old daughter of Medaglia d'Oro took the Del Mar Oaks last August and followed it up with a victory in the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup in October.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/WO091220CAN9-EQB.html

4:59 p.m.—$500,000 Grade 3 Kentucky Downs Ladies Sprint Stakes at Kentucky Downs on TVG

The Ladies Sprint provides a scintillating showdown among Grade 1 winner Got Stormy, the 2-1 favorite in the overflow field of 15, and Kimari. The Mark Casse-trained Got Stormy has consistently been tough competing against males in Grade 1 races, including winning last year's Fourstardave at Saratoga and finishing second in her title defense this year, along with a second in last year's Breeders' Cup Mile. Now she'll sprint for the first time in her glorious career that has seen her earn $1.6 million to date. Kimari, trained by Wesley Ward, has only been beaten once in the United States, and that was when fourth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint at Santa Anita.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/KD091220USA8-EQB.html

5:32 p.m.—$500,000 Kentucky Downs Juvenile Turf Sprint Stakes at Kentucky Downs on TVG

Trainer Wesley Ward has the two morning-line favorites in the Juvenile Turf Sprint in debut winner Outadore (2-1) and Fauci (5-2), who won a Keeneland maiden race on turf and was second in Saratoga's Skidmore on grass. Another interesting horse is 9-2 third choice County Final, who won his debut on grass at Churchill Downs then was second in the Grade 3 Bashford Manor on dirt. Transferred to Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, County Final romped in Monmouth Park's off-the-turf Tyro Stakes.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/KD091220USA9-EQB.html

5:41 p.m.—$1,000,000 Queen's Plate at Woodbine on TVG

Plate Trial champ Clayton and multiple stakes-winning filly Curlin's Voyage will take on 12 other Queen's Plate hopefuls in the $1 million classic set for 1 ¼ miles. The 161st edition of the Queen's Plate, North America's oldest continually run race, is the first leg of the OLG Canadian Triple Crown, a tri-surface series for Canadian-bred three-year-olds. A son of Bodemeister, Clayton has three wins and one second from four starts for owners Donato Lanni and Daniel Plouffe. Trained by Kevin Attard, who also sends out the filly Merveilleux, the bay colt arrives at the Plate in sharp form, having won two straight, including the Plate Trial on August 15.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/WO091220CAN10-EQB.html

6:04 p.m.—$1,000,000 Grade 3 Calumet Farm Kentucky Cup Turf Stakes at Kentucky Downs on TVG

The Kentucky Turf Cup is headed by Michael Hui's 2019 winner Zulu Alpha and Donegal Racing's 2018 winner Arklow. Both became Grade 1 winners after their 1-2 finish a year ago at Kentucky Downs, with Arklow winning Belmont Park's Joe Hirsch Turf Classic in his next start and Zulu Alpha taking Gulfstream Park's $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf in January. Zulu Alpha, fourth in last year's Breeders' Cup Turf, has made a claim as being America's best distance turf horse after winning the Pegasus World Cup Turf and tacking on Grade 2 victories in Gulfstream Park's Mac Diarmida and Keeneland's Elkhorn. Arklow is trying to regain his 2019 form, and trainer Brad Cox has been pleased how the 6-year-old horse has responded in training to the addition of blinkers.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/KD091220USA10-EQB.html

6:36 p.m.—$700,000 Grade 3 Runhappy Turf Sprint Stakes at Kentucky Downs on TVG

Totally Boss, winner of this race in 2019, looms the favorite in an overflow field for the Turf Sprint Stakes, whose winner will receive a fees-paid spot in the $1 million Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint as part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series' “Win and You're In” program. Totally Boss has raced only twice this year, most recently rallying strongly only to lose Keeneland's Grade 2 Shakertown by a head to his Rusty Arnold-trained stablemate Leinster. Totally Boss could join Hold the Salt (2008-2009) as the only repeat winner of the stakes.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/KD091220USA11-EQB.html

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Ghaiyyath The Star On Super Saturday

There are few days in the European racing calendar as replete with top-class action as Saturday, with Doncaster’s St Leger festival reaching its climax as the Irish Champions Weekend begins at Leopardstown. With the exception of Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}), Godolphin’s phenomenon of 2020 Ghaiyyath (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) has emerged to dominate the middle-distance division and he bids to extend that to Ireland as he takes in the G1 Irish Champion S. With Magical (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in opposition, on paper his task involves a simple repeat of his G1 Juddmonte International heroics but little is ever as simple in the reality of Thoroughbred competition. Many champions elect have gone to this country in the past with impeccable credentials only to suffer a cruel dethroning, such is the level of competition entered into. If he needs any help, it could be available from Leopardstown’s track which has played to a front-running bias on occasion this year. If that is the case again and he is firing on all cylinders after a trio of tough efforts, he should prove as impossible to peg back as he has so far during his sensational campaign.

In many ways, the 5-year-old represents the confirmation of the resurgence of the operation in recent years and Charlie Appleby is aware of his status among the legions of luminaries to sport the royal blue. “Ghaiyyath is already the highest-rated I have had the privilege to train and he will always be regarded as one of Godolphin’s great horses. He is special,” he said. “This is a wonderful Godolphin story. His Highness Sheikh Mohammed has followed the progress of Ghaiyyath very closely from the time he was purchased as a foal five years ago and it is pleasing to see a descendant of Godolphin greats Dubai Millennium and Dubawi also making his mark at the highest level. His performances are always very big–he’s never easy on himself even when he’s winning. He puts those big figures out there and in the past it’s taken its toll, but thankfully this year he’s taken each race very well. A decision on the Arc will be a wait-and-see. We purposefully took our time before deciding to definitely run in Ireland, we just took it day-by-day and we’ll regroup after it.”

Last year’s winner Magical needs something extra to shake up Ghaiyyath, but Aidan O’Brien believes it could be in the reserves. “She doesn’t owe anybody anything. She’s raced against the best. We feel we haven’t really seen the best of her yet,” he said. “Someday when everything will fall right she’ll be at the height of her powers and we’ll see. She’s a serious, high-rated, incredibly genuine mare. We keep tweaking things as we go along to see if we can get another little bit from her to get her to show everybody what she shows us at home every day.” Ryan Moore has opted to ride last year’s Juddmonte International winner Japan (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) over Magical and he has 2 1/4 lengths to make up on the Godolphin flag-bearer having finished third in Sandown’s G1 Eclipse S. on July 5. Subsequently last of three when injuring a foot in the G1 King George VI And Queen Elizabeth QIPCO S. at Ascot on July 25, he will be tested to the extreme here. O’Brien said of him, “He came back from Ascot with very sore soles in his feet. He’s in full work and has been taking it very happily. He’s travelling well in his work and everything seems good, so it was a legitimate excuse.”

Japan was fourth when White Birch Farm’s 2019 G1 Prix du Jockey Club hero Sottsass (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) was a half-length ahead in third in the G1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe and it will be interesting to see how they fare under these contrasting conditions. Successful in the G1 Prix Ganay over 10 1/2 furlongs at Chantilly on June 14 and a neck second to Skalleti (Fr) (Kendargent {Fr}) when attempting to give that smart rival six pounds in Deauville’s G3 Prix Gontaut-Biron on heavy ground on his return on Aug. 15, Sottsass is in deep here. Jockey Colin Keane commented, “Obviously Ghaiyyath was impressive the last day, Magical is the queen, she never runs a bad race and our horse I’d say has been trained with an autumn campaign in mind so you might not have seen the best of him yet.”

 Doncaster Serves Up Competitive Leger

   At Doncaster, the G1 Pertemps St Leger will now be contested by 11 runners after Ed Walker took out the G1 Juddmonte Grand Prix de Paris-bound English King (Fr) (Camelot {GB}) on Friday morning. There is no clear favourite at present, with the trio of Pyledriver (GB) (Harbour Watch {Ire}), Santiago (Ire) (Authorized {Ire}) and Hukum (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) all close together at the top of the market. Also popular is the Aug. 29 Listed Yeats S. winner Galileo Chrome (Ire) (Australia {GB}) in a renewal that is as open as it is competitive and that Joseph O’Brien representative will now be partnered by English King’s proposed rider Tom Marquand after Shane Crosse was ruled out with a positive COVID test. Pyledriver comes via the tried-and-tested route of York’s Aug.  19 G2 Great Voltigeur, which he won under a penalty for his prior success in the G2 King Edward VII S. at Royal Ascot on June 16. Santiago bids to emulate the 2017 winner Capri (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in coming off a success in the G1 Irish Derby at The Curragh on June 27, while Hukum looks for a first Shadwell victory in this Classic having impressed when beating his elders in the G3 Geoffrey Freer S. over an extended 13 furlongs at Newbury on Aug. 15.

   Pyledriver’s trainer Willie Muir has the chance of a lifetime ahead of him and said, “The horse had a quiet week to 10 days after York, but he’s back in his normal routine now and he’s as fit as a flea. You don’t dream about how good it would feel to win, you dream about all the things that could go wrong. If it comes off, what it would do for me and the yard would be immense. I think he’ll stay. He is in fantastic form and if he stays, it will take a very good one to beat him.”

Aidan O’Brien said of Santiago, “It maybe didn’t work as we’d liked [when third] in the [G1] Goodwood Cup. We usually like to take our time on him and he just hit the gates on Ryan and he couldn’t really get him back. He was just sitting in the second position and Ryan would have felt maybe he was a gear too high all the way. Because of that he went from travelling very well to having to drop him and ask him to go and race very quickly and he really didn’t get his breath to go again. It didn’t really work, but it didn’t do him any harm and he seems to be in good form. We had to give him a little bit of an easy time after it, because obviously when things don’t work or go smooth for a horse usually they have a harder race, but he seems to be in good form again.”

Hukum is perhaps the one who has yet to truly show his hand, much as Logician (GB) (Frankel {GB}) was 12 months ago, and Angus Gold is hoping he will prove up to the task. “We’re still learning about him, he’s lightly-raced for the time of year, but he’s done everything well this season,” he commented. “I’m not saying he’s going to win a Leger, but I don’t think he’ll be far away. Owen [Burrows] has been at pains to say he’s not simply a stayer, but at the same time he stayed well enough at Newbury to make you think he won’t be beaten for stamina. He might not be good enough, but I’ll be surprised if it’s a lack of stamina that beats him. Hopefully next year we’ll be looking at races like the Hardwicke and the King George.”

Following the drama which unfolded on Friday regarding Shane Crosse, Galileo Chrome is in the spotlight even more than he would be after demonstrating his class at Navan. “Last time out he quickened up impressively, he showed a big turn of foot. It was quite a hot race, obviously not as hot as the St Leger, but it was quite hot and he couldn’t have been any more impressive,” trainer Joseph O’Brien said. “I think he goes there with a good each-way chance. He’s got to step up a little to win, but we’re hoping he’ll run very well.”

Classic Showdown In Matron

The third of Saturday’s top-level contests is the G1 Coolmore America ‘Justify’ Matron S. over a mile at Leopardstown and there is a rematch between the June 13 G1 Irish 1000 Guineas one-two Peaceful (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Fancy Blue (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}). Fancy Blue was on top when they met subsequently in the G1 Prix de Diane over 10 1/2 furlongs at Chantilly on July 5 before adding Goodwood’s G1 Nassau S. to her tally on July 30. Since finishing third in the Diane, Peaceful has been rested and her rider Seamie Heffernan has never made any secret of the regard in which he holds her. Ryan Moore is on Fancy Blue, who would be providing Donnacha O’Brien with a major prize on this weekend in his first season with a licence.

“It’s a great weekend, the biggest in Irish racing and I’m excited about having horses to run,” Donnacha said. “Fancy Blue starts out on her autumn campaign in the Matron S. and while the trip might not be ideal, she does have good form over a mile and she ran well in the Irish Guineas over this distance.”

This year’s Matron is a hot contest and last year’s G1 Prix Marcel Boussac heroine Albigna (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}), who was runner-up after a break in the G3 Snow Fairy Fillies S. over nine furlongs at The Curragh on Aug. 28, will need to improve to feature while progression is the watchword where Fitzwilliam Racing’s Champers Elysees (Ire) (Elzaam {Aus}) is concerned. Successful by seven lengths in Galway’s Listed Corrib Fillies S. over seven furlongs on July 28, the Johnny Murtagh trainee followed up in the G3 Fairy Bridge S. over another half a furlong at Gowran Park on Sept. 2 and boasts a similar profile to the now-infamous 2006 winner Red Evie (Ire) (Intikhab). “Her performance in Galway blew me away,” her trainer said. “I was very surprised the way that she won, the way she travelled and the way she quickened on ground that we weren’t sure about. Since Galway she’d had very clear run–it’s been smooth, her work has been good and she hasn’t missed a day.” Murtagh also saddles Qatar Racing’s July 1 G3 Derrinstown Stud Fillies S. winner and Aug. 2 G1 Prix Rothschild third Know It All (GB) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}), which serves as a measurement of how quickly his racing operation has advanced. “She’s fresh and well–she’s the best horse we have in the stable,” he said. “I thought if we had a good horse this year, it was her. She’s a very big filly, good breeding. I think she’s going there with a great chance. She has to improve seven to 10 pounds to be involved in the finish with all the good fillies’ that are in it.”

Leopardstown’s three other pattern races offer quality in abundance, with the G2 KPMG Champions Juvenile S. over a mile carrying the status of being a Breeders’ Cup Challenge Race, as is also the case with the Irish Champion and Matron. Alpha Racing 2020’s Cadillac (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}), who impressed with a nine-length debut win over seven furlongs here on July 1, was second in The Curragh’s G2 Futurity S. also at that trip on Aug. 22 and has the call over Van Gogh (American Pharoah) on the form of that contest. Ballydoyle’s Aug. 6 G3 Tyros S. runner-up was only sixth, but he carries the air of a big name waiting to happen and Ryan Moore is on board for the first time here. Chantal Regalado-Gonzalez’s impressive July 23 course-and-distance maiden winner Fernando Vichi (Ire) (Australia {GB}) is an unexposed type held in high regard along with Newtown Anner Stud Farm’s Ides of August (More Than Ready), who has not been seen since scoring on debut over seven furlongs here on June 21.

There is a fascinating clash in store in the G2 Clipper Logistics Boomerang Mile, or Solonaway S. as it is registered, between Abdulla Belhabb’s Aug. 29 G2 Celebration Mile winner Century Dream (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}), Ross Harmon’s Aug. 22 G2 City of York S. scorer Safe Voyage (Ire) (Fast Company {Ire}) and Ballydoyle’s June 13 G3 Gladness S. winner Lancaster House (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). The 12-furlong G3 Paddy Power ‘Is It 2021 Yet?’ S., or Kilternan S., sees Ballydoyle’s Irish Derby runner-up Tiger Moth (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) encounter the year-older Joseph O’Brien representative Patrick Sarsfield (Fr) (Australia {GB}) who took the nine-furlong G3 Meld S. here on July 11 and was third in Munich’s G1 Grosser Dallmayr-Preis over another furlong last time on July 26. Aidan O’Brien said of Tiger Moth, “He’s had a nice long break and is in good form. We think he’s a mile-and-a-quarter, mile-and-a-half horse,” he said. “He has a little bit of class.”

Toast To A Star

Back at Doncaster, the G2 bet365 Champagne S. sees ‘TDN Rising Star’ Albasheer (Ire) (Shamardal) look to confirm the impression of his 6 1/2-length debut success over this course and distance on July 25. He meets Michael Pescod’s unbeaten Chindit (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), who came out on top in a strong renewal of the Listed Pat Eddery S. at Ascot on July 25. Fourth that day, John Deer’s Saint Lawrence (Ire) (Al Kazeem {GB}) has subsequently taken the Listed Washington Singer S. also over this seven-furlong trip at Newbury on Aug. 15 and re-opposes. Alongside Albasheer, Shadwell also has the seven-length Aug. 28 Newmarket novice scorer Mujbar (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}) and the racing manager Angus Gold is relishing seeing the pair in action.

“Albasheer’s always looked a nice horse at home, he’s a good-looking, strong horse who is well-bred by a very good stallion. From what we can see we hope he’s a very good horse,” he said. “He did have the option of the listed race at this meeting, but he worked very nicely the other day and Owen [Burrows] was happy to let him take his chance in this. Mujbar beat a horse who had finished behind Minzaal, so we’ve a bit of a line on him. He looked a good, galloping horse to me at Newmarket.  They’ve always thought a bit of him, he’s out of a good mare in Madany who has produced Massaat and Eqtidaar and he worked very well on Tuesday to the degree that Charlie [Hills] was happy enough to go for this–he said he thinks he’s decent so let’s have a look at him in the Champagne. We’re never afraid to run them against each other, one has run twice the other just once and you never know until you run them. There’s only a month left of the season and we’re running out of big races.”

Limato In Long Awaited Return

Paul Jacob’s popular seven-furlong specialist Limato (Ire) (Tagula {Ire}) has his favoured lively surface as he bids to register a second win in Doncaster’s G2 bet365 Park S. that he took five long years ago. His latest authoritative success in the G3 Criterion S. at Newmarket on June 27 demonstrated that he is still able to operate at a high standard and trainer Henry Candy is in positive mood. “Conditions should be perfect on Saturday, which is a relief as it’s been a long summer of abortive attempts,” he said. “It was a long time ago when he won. He’s been ready for four races since, but they’ve all been too soft. I think he’s well, he should run well and he didn’t look to be getting any slower at Newmarket.”

Ballydoyle try seven furlongs again with the June 6 G1 2000 Guineas runner-up Wichita (Ire) (No Nay Never), who was ridden by Frankie Dettori there before finishing third in Royal Ascot’s G1 St James’s Palace S. on June 20. Only eighth in the 6 1/2-furlong G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville Aug. 9, he possibly has ideal conditions here. “Wichita is a very interesting ride. The question mark is the return to seven furlongs, but I think that should be ideal,” Dettori said. “He’s a fast horse that ran well over a mile–second in a Guineas and a close third in the St James’s Palace–and we think this trip will really suit him.”

Wichita was half a length second to Shadwell’s Molatham (GB) (Night of Thunder {Ire}) in the Listed Flying Scotsman S. over this course and distance 12 months ago and Molatham has since captured Royal Ascot’s G3 Jersey S. on June 18 before finishing fifth in Deauville’s G1 Prix Jean Prat also over this trip on July 12. Trainer Roger Varian said, “Molatham is in great form and we’re looking forward to getting him back on track. I don’t think he ran his race in Deauville, but it still wasn’t a bad run.”

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Ghaiyyath Heads Field Of Six For Saturday’s Irish Champion Stakes

The mighty Ghaiyyath heads a field of six runners for the Irish Champion Stakes on the opening day of Longines Irish Champions Weekend at Leopardstown on Saturday afternoon.

Godolphin's star 5-year-old became the highest-rated horse in the world when adding the Juddmonte International at York last month to earlier top-level wins in the Coronation Cup at Newmarket and Sandown's Coral-Eclipse.

Charlie Appleby told godolphin.com: “It was a routine piece of work (on Wednesday) to check his well-being, and he has come through it without a worry.

“It was not strong work, more a breeze, which is normal procedure three days before a race. He's telling us that he's ready now for another big race.

“We are really looking forward to the weekend. He travels to Ireland at the peak of his career, unbeaten in four starts this year, three of them Grade 1s, two of which were officially rated the best performances globally in 2020.”

The Irish Champion Stakes offers a “Win and You're In” berth to the Breeders' Cup Longines Turf in November at Keeneland.

The main opposition to Appleby's charge will come from two Aidan O'Brien-trained runners, Magical, winner of the Irish Champion Stakes last year and the mount of Seamie Heffernan, and the Ryan Moore-ridden Japan. Magical is bidding to become the first horse to win the race twice after the O'Brien-trained Dylan Thomas in 2006 and 2007.

Jean-Claude Rouget is back for further Irish Champion Stakes success. He won with Almanzor in 2016 and runs Sottsass, the mount of Colin Keane, and the field is completed by the Jessica Harrington-trained Leo De Fury and one more from Ballydoyle, Armory.

Classic winners Fancy Blue, trained by Donnacha O'Brien and his father Aidan's Peaceful, lead the way in the Group 1 Coolmore America 'Justify' Matron Stakes. Eleven runners will line up for the first of the weekend's six Group 1 races with Albigna and Valeria Messalina representing Jessica Harrington, Joseph O'Brien's Argentinian-import Wilds Dreams takes her chance while Johnny Murtagh runs both Champers Elysees and Know It All as he searches for a first top-level training success.

Speaking this morning, Donnacha O'Brien, who has his first Longines Irish Champions Weekend runners this weekend, said: “It's a great weekend, the biggest in Irish racing and I'm excited about having horses to run.

“Fancy Blue starts out on her autumn campaign in the Matron Stakes and while the trip might not be ideal, she does have good form over a mile and she ran well in the Irish Guineas over this distance.”

There are ten runners for the Group 2 KMPG Champions Juvenile Stakes with the Harrington-trained Cadillac leading the way along with course and distance winner Fernando Vichi, and Ides Of August, trained by Donnacha O'Brien and Ger Lyons respectively.

Another Group 2 on the stellar card is the Clipper Logistics Boomerang Mile and here ten runners will go to post with British raiders Century Dream, Escobar and Safe Voyage taking on the likes of Royal Dornoch, Lancaster House and Ancient Spirit.

The Group 3 Paddy Power 'Is It 2021 Yet?' Stakes has a field of 13 with Joseph O'Brien's pair Buckhurst and Patrick Sarsfield taking on Irish Derby runner-up Tiger Moth, trained by Aidan O'Brien, Johnny Murtagh's Red Kelly and the Paddy Twomey-trained Bolivar.

Racing begins with the Listed Ballylinch Stud Irish EBF Ingabelle Stakes where 13 runners line out, among them Joseph O'Brien's course and distance winner Earth Strike and the recent Punchestown scorer New Emerald Bay, another for Johnny Murtagh.

A maximum field of 18 runners, including last year's runner-up Buildmeupbuttercup, are set for the Irish Stallion Farms 'Petingo' Handicap while there's also 18 declared for the Irish Stallion Farms EBF 'Sovereign Path' Handicap with Damien English's Geological and Lord Rapscallion for Nikita Kane and Murtagh likely leading contenders.

Tim Husbands, Leopardstown CEO said: “Declarations for Day 1 of Longines Irish Champions Weekend confirm that the quality of runner associated with this prestigious weekend will be of the same exceptional standard as previous years. We are delighted to welcome our International entries but also our native runners where the depth of talent is unrivalled. I would like to express our sincere gratitude to all owners, trainers, jockeys and sponsors for their valued participation and contribution to Longines Irish Champions Weekend.”

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Ghaiyyath Confirmed For Irish Champion

Ghaiyyath (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) will line up for Saturday’s G1 Irish Champion S. at Leopardstown after coming through a Thursday morning gallop in good order, according to trainer Charlie Appleby. This season’s G1 Coronation Cup, G1 Coral-Eclipse S. and G1 Juddmonte International winner is the favourite for the 10-furlong contest and will face five rivals including Ballydoyle’s Japan (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) and Magical (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) as well as this season’s G1 Prix Ganay victor Sottsass (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}).

“It was a routine piece of work to check his well-being, and he has come through it without a worry,” Appleby said of Thursday’s move. “It was not a strong work, more a breeze, which is normal procedure three days before a race. He’s telling us that he’s ready now for another big race.

A recent relaxation in Irish quarantine rules for elite athletes means William Buick will be allowed to partner Ghaiyyath.

“We are really looking forward to the weekend,” Appleby added. “He travels to Ireland at the peak of his career, unbeaten in four starts this year, three of them Group 1s, two of which were officially rated the best performances globally in 2020. He’s now a 5-year-old and by any standards he is lightly-raced. He has run only 12 times, winning nine and placing twice. This is his fourth season in training, and I believe what we are now seeing is an outstanding racehorse at the top of his game.

“He’s going to Leopardstown in as good a condition as we have ever had him. I’m as pleased with him as I was before the Juddmonte International at York, where I thought he was very professional in the manner he went about everything.”

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