focusonracing.com<\/a>)<\/p>\nThree Breeders\u2019 Cup Challenge Berths on the Line During Irish Champions Day at Leopardstown<\/p>\n
Breeders\u2019 Cup Release<\/p>\n
LEOPARDSTOWN, Ireland \u2015 Three exciting races in the Breeders\u2019 Cup Challenge Series: Win and You\u2019re In will take place at Leopardstown on Saturday as part of Irish Champions Weekend, led by Coral Eclipse (G1) winner\u00a0Delacroix (IRE)\u00a0in the Irish Champion Stakes (G1).<\/p>\n
The winner will gain an automatic berth into the $5 million Longines Breeders\u2019 Cup Turf (G1) through the Challenge Series, an international series of 93 stakes races in 15 countries whose winners receive automatic starting positions and fees paid into a corresponding race at the Breeders\u2019 Cup World Championships, scheduled to be held Oct. 31-Nov. 1 at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, California.<\/p>\n
Two other \u201cWin and You\u2019re In\u201d berths will also be awarded at Leopardstown. The winner of the Matron Stakes (G1) will earn an automatic starting position into the $2 million Maker\u2019s Mark Breeders\u2019 Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1), and the winner of the Champions Juvenile Stakes (G2) will earn a free spot into the $1 million Breeders\u2019 Cup Juvenile Turf (G1).<\/p>\n
Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes<\/p>\n
The Aidan O\u2019Brien trained Delacroix is a short-priced favorite for Saturday, having finished second to Ombudsman (IRE) in the Juddmonte International Stakes (G1) \u2013 a Challenge Series race \u2013 last time out, and ninth in the Epsom Derby (G1) in June. John and Thady Gosden opted not to run Ombudsman, who finished second to Delacroix in the Coral Eclipse (G1), in the 1 1\/4-mile feature race.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Delacroix, a son of Dubawi (IRE), has winning course and distance form at Leopardstown after landing consecutive Group 3 events earlier this season \u2013 first in the Ballysax Stakes (G3), beating eventual Derby winner and stablemate Lambourn (IRE), and second in the Derby Trial Stakes (G3) in May. Leading French jockey Christophe Soumillon takes the ride.<\/p>\n
Last year\u2019s QIPCO Champions Stakes (G1) winner\u00a0Anmaat (IRE)\u00a0finished second to Ombudsman in the Prince of Wales\u2019s Stakes (G1) at Royal Ascot last time out for trainer Owen Burrows. Shadwell Estate Company Ltd.\u2019s 7-year-old has only been seen twice this season due to the dry summer, so conditions are in his favor with the ground being described as soft, yielding to soft, in places.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
The J P Murtagh-trained\u00a0Zahrann (IRE),second to Amiloc (GB) in the King Edward VII Stakes (G2) at Royal Ascot before landing the Curragh\u2019s Royal Whip Stakes (G3) over 1 1\/4 miles last time out, steps up to Group 1 company for the first time.<\/p>\n
On the colt\u2019s chances in Saturday\u2019s feature race, jockey Ben Coen said: \u201cHe handled the ground at Ascot, but it was very firm, so it probably was a little quicker than ideal. Looking at the forecast for the weekend, it should end up lovely ground.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe won at Leopardstown over a mile and a half during the summer when he quickened well off a slow pace. He was impressive and it\u2019s always a bonus when they\u2019ve been around the track and won.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Shin Emperor (FR), third in last year\u2019s renewal forJapan-basedtrainer Yoshito Yahagi, has also been declared. The 4-year-old son of Siyouni (FR) went on to win the Neom Turf Cup (G2) at Riyadh\u2019s Saudi Cup meeting this February and will be partnered by regular jockey Ryusei Sakai.<\/p>\n
The multiple Group winning 5-year-old\u00a0White Birch (GB), who also has winning course and distance form at Leopardstown for trainer John Joseph Murphy, was last seen finishing fourth to Los Angeles (IRE) in the Tattersalls Gold Cup (G1) at The Curragh. He is seeking his second Group 1, having beaten 2023 Longines Breeders\u2019 Cup Turf winner Auguste Rodin (IRE) in last year\u2019s Tattersalls Gold Cup.<\/p>\n
George Murphy, assistant trainer to his father John, said: \u201cWhite Birch is training very well, seems in super form and goes to Leopardstown. We couldn\u2019t be happier with him.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe were hoping to run in the Royal Whip before Leopardstown, but the ground went against us so we decided to skip that and the plan was then to go straight to Leopardstown.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Irish Champion Stakes and the Arc has been the target, especially given, on the law of averages, you\u2019ve a better chance of getting suitable ground that time of year. We don\u2019t want firm in the going description; good ground would be fine.\u201d<\/p>\n
Fellow 7-year-old\u00a0Royal Champion (IRE), winner of the York Stakes (G2) last time out, is set to compete at the top level on Saturday, having been declared by Karl Burke.\u00a0Hotazhell (GB),fourth last time out in the Saratoga Derby Invitational Stakes (G1) for trainer Mrs. John Harrington,and\u00a0Mount Kilimanjaro (FR), trained by Aidan O\u2019Brien, complete the eight-horse field.<\/p>\n
Field of 11 Declared for Matron Stakes<\/p>\n
Wathnan Racing\u2019s English and Irish Classic winning filly\u00a0Fallen Angel (GB)\u00a0is the star among 11 fillies set to start in the 1-mile Matron Stakes for a free berth into the Breeders\u2019 Cup Filly & Mare Turf.<\/p>\n
The Karl Burke trained 4-year-old daughter of Too Darn Hot (GB) finished second in last year\u2019s renewal and looks to go one better Saturday. The Yorkshire based filly won the Prix Rothschild (G1) at Deauville last month, beating the Aidan O\u2019Brien-trained runner-up\u00a0January (IRE), who has also been declared.<\/p>\n
On Fallen Angel\u2019s chances, Burke said: \u201cI think she\u2019ll go there with a great chance. Any juice in the ground would be to her advantage as well. Faster ground would be slightly against her but the addition of sheepskins has helped her as well. She\u2019s not an ungenuine filly, she just needs to concentrate.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt the moment, she\u2019s in great form.\u201d<\/p>\n
Derrick Smith, Mrs. John Magnier, and Michael B. Tabor\u2019s January has finished second in two consecutive Group 1 events \u2013 the Prix Rothschild (G1) and Newmarket\u2019s Falmouth Stakes (G1) in July.<\/p>\n
Prior to that, the daughter of Kingman (GB) finished third to Group 1-winning\u00a0Cercene (IRE)\u00a0\u2013 also declared for Saturday \u2013 in theCoronation Stakes (G1) at Royal Ascot in June. Shane R. Stafford\u2019s Cercene, trained by Joseph G. Murphy, finished second to Whirl (IRE) in the Nassau Stakes (G1) at Goodwood \u2013 a \u201cWin and You\u2019re In\u201d race.<\/p>\n
Amo Racing Limited\u2019s\u00a0Cathedral (GB)\u00a0\u2013 who recently moved stables and is now trained by Kevin Philippart de Foy \u2013 finished fourth to Cercene in the Coronation. The daughter of Too Darn Hot (GB) went on to finish second in the Prix Chloe (G3) at Chantilly in July.<\/p>\n
The Donnacha O\u2019Brien-trained\u00a0Atsila (IRE), the Aidan O\u2019Brien-trained\u00a0Exactly (IRE), John James Feane trainee\u00a0Vera\u2019s Secret (IRE),\u00a0Duckadilly (IRE),\u00a0California Dreamer (GB),\u00a0Sparks Fly (GB), and\u00a0Queen Of Thunder (IRE)\u00a0complete the field.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Five Declared for Champions Juvenile Stakes<\/p>\n
Peter Brant, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael B. Tabor, Derrick Smith, and Westerberg\u2019s\u00a0Benvenuto Cellini (IRE)\u00a0is favored for the 1-mile Champions Juvenile Stakes, which awards the winner a free berth into the Breeders\u2019 Cup Juvenile Turf (G1).<\/p>\n
The son of Frankel was an impressive winner in his second start, running over a mile at Killarney, having finished second to Dorset (IRE) at The Curragh on June 28. Benvenuto Cellini is one of two runners in the race for Aidan O\u2019Brien, with\u00a0Montreal (IRE), a son of Sea The Stars (IRE), who has course and distance form, having won an EBF Maiden last month.<\/p>\n
Joseph O\u2019Brien has also declared two colts:\u00a0Hardy Warrior (IRE),who beat Montreal to win an EBF Maiden in July after finishing fourth to Benvenuto Cellini on his first start for Millennium Stud Sp. z o.o., and outsiderNil Bua Gan Dua (USA)\u00a0\u2013 a son of U.S. Triple Crown and Breeders\u2019 Cup Classic (G1) winner American Pharoah \u2013 who finished fourth at The Curragh in his only start to date.<\/p>\n
The all-Irish trained field is completed by Donnacha O\u2019Brien trainee\u00a0A Boy Named Susie (IRE), who finished fourth in in the Futurity Stakes (G2) over 7 furlongs at The Curragh last month.<\/p>\n
As part of the benefits of the Challenge Series, Breeders\u2019 Cup will pay the entry fees for the winner of the Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes winner to start in the Longines Breeders\u2019 Cup Turf, the winner of the of the Matron Stakes to start in the Maker\u2019s Mark Breeders\u2019 Cup Filly & Mare Turf, and for the winner of the Champions Juvenile Stakes to start in the Breeders\u2019 Cup Juvenile Turf. Breeders\u2019 Cup will also provide a travel allowance for all starters based outside of North America to compete in the World Championships. The Challenge winner must be nominated by the Oct. 20 Breeders\u2019 Cup pre-entry deadline in order to receive the rewards.<\/p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Delacroix (IRE). (Healy Racing Photo c\/o\u00a0focusonracing.com) Three Breeders\u2019 Cup Challenge Berths on the Line During Irish Champions Day…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":131068,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[40],"tags":[3004,101,56,54,55],"class_list":["post-131067","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-racing","tag-racing","tag-sports","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom","tag-unitedkingdom"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/131067","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=131067"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/131067\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/131068"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=131067"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=131067"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=131067"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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