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| Staff Writer |
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A star-studded international field is set to light up Leopardstown on Saturday as eight top-class runners go to post for the Gr.1 Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes. The 1m2f contest, a centrepiece of Irish Champions Weekend, has attracted a compelling mix of established Group One performers and rising stars from Ireland, Britain and Japan.
Spearheading the home team is last year's winner Auguste Rodin, one of four runners for master trainer Aidan O'Brien. The dual Derby hero will be looking to emulate Ballydoyle greats Magical and Dylan Thomas by landing successive renewals of this prestigious prize. After claiming the Prince of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot in June, the Ryan Moore-ridden colt will be aiming to bounce back from a below-par fifth in the King George.
Capturing plenty of pre-race attention is the William Haggas-trained Economics, who takes a significant step up in class. The progressive 3YO, owned by His Highness Shaikh Isa Bin Salman Bin Hamad Al Khalifa, burst onto the scene with a six-length romp in York's Dante Stakes before following up in the Group Two Guillaume d'Ornano at Deauville last month. With Tom Marquand in the saddle, Economics bids to become the first British-trained winner since Roaring Lion's 2018 triumph.
Aidan O'Brien, seeking his sixth consecutive Irish Champion Stakes victory, launches a formidable four-pronged assault. Alongside Auguste Rodin, the Ballydoyle maestro saddles Irish Derby hero Los Angeles (Dylan Browne McMonagle), Coronation Cup winner Luxembourg (Declan McDonogh), and Hans Andersen (Chris Hayes). Los Angeles, dropping back in trip, enters the fray off the back of an impressive Great Voltigeur Stakes success at York.
Adding further international flavour is Japanese challenger Shin Emperor, trained by Yoshito Yahagi. The colt, a full brother to Arc winner Sottsass, makes his European debut following a third-place finish in the Japanese Derby. His presence adds an exciting dimension to an already stellar line-up.
The Irish Champion Stakes boasts an illustrious roll of honour, with recent winners including Auguste Rodin (2023), Luxembourg (2022), and St Mark's Basilica (2021). Other notable victors include Golden Horn (2015), Australia (2014), and the great Sea The Stars (2009). The race has consistently attracted the cream of middle-distance talent from across Europe and beyond.
Complementing Economics in the British challenge are Ghostwriter from the Clive Cox yard and the Karl Burke-trained Royal Rhyme. Both enter the fray with solid Group-race form and will be looking to upset their more fancied rivals.
The 2023 renewal of the Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes was rated among the world's top ten races and the highest-rated contest run over 2000m. This year's edition looks set to uphold that lofty status, with its diverse, high-class field promising a thrilling spectacle for racing fans worldwide.
Through its sponsorship of this flagship event, Bahrain has rapidly developed a strong association with one of global racing's marquee fixtures. The Kingdom's support has played a key role in cementing the Irish Champion Stakes' position as a cornerstone of the international racing calendar.