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Irish champions: Aidan O’Brien greets Delacroix and Christophe Soumillon at Leopardstown. Photo: Healy Racing \/ focusonracing.com<\/p>\nIrish champions: Aidan O’Brien greets Delacroix and Christophe Soumillon at Leopardstown. Photo: Healy Racing \/ focusonracing.com<\/p>\n
On a weekend where world #1 trainer Aidan O\u2019Brien scooped the major prizes on both sides of the Irish Sea, the star turn was provided by Delacroix in the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown.<\/p>\n
Delacroix put the race to be with an impressive turn of foot two furlongs out under supersub jockey Christophe Soumillon (#28 from #32, +25pt) before holding Anmaat by three-quarters of a length.<\/p>\n \u201cDelacroix is an incredible horse and Christophe gave him an incredible ride,\u201d said Aidan O\u2019Brien (stays at #1, +39pt). \u201cIt was off a strong pace today and was always going to be an even run race, but when he said \u2018go\u2019 on him, it was over really. I haven’t seen a horse do that before. We saw him quicken like that at Sandown and what he did was very unusual; he did it again today.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n As is sometimes the case with O\u2019Brien\u2019s stars in recent seasons, Delacroix\u2019s CV is not without a blemish \u2013 notably when he failed to deliver any sort of blow as 2-1 favourite in the Epsom Derby, where he was ninth. He hasn\u2019t done a whole heap wrong since, however, although Ombudsman showed him the time of day in last month\u2019s Juddmonte International.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, O\u2019Brien was in his usual dominant mood at Doncaster, where Goodwood Cup winner Scandinavia (#28 from #51, +83pt) recorded a hard-fought win over Rahiebb to claim the final British Classic of the season.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n With Ryan Moore out for the season \u2013 though he\u2019s doubtless have been in Ireland anyway \u2013 and Wayne Lordan suspended, the excellent Tom Marquand (#43 from #48, +31pt) came in for the ride. O\u2019Brien horses also came third and fourth in the seven-runner field; that fourth-placed horse was dual Derby winner Lambourn (#43 from #32, -35pt).<\/p>\n Veterinary protocols allowing, Scandinavia may be sent to the Melbourne Cup \u2013 a race that is definitely the target for Al Riffa (#34 from #82, +163pt) after a four-length victory in the Irish St Leger on Sunday [Sept 14] at the Curragh. (Please note: Ireland\u2019s St Leger is open to older horses, whereas the original version at Doncaster is still restricted to the Classic generation, with no geldings.)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Five-year-old Al Riffa has been well suited by the step up in distance and is now a three-time G1 winner. He was made 6-1 favourite (from 12) for the Melbourne Cup by bookmakers Paddy Power; trainer Joseph O\u2019Brien has won the race twice already.<\/p>\n Leading filly Fallen Angel (#22 from #68, +182pt) showed tremendous grit for he fourth G1 success (three in Ireland) in the Matron Stakes on Saturday\u2019s card at Leopardstown. Give her a bit of rain, and she is tough to beat.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n We\u2019re getting into the guts of the Australian season now and Mr Brightside (#18 from #36, +127pt) stole the headlines as the evergreen gelding completed a hat-trick in the G1 Makybe Diva Stakes at Flemington.<\/p>\n Back in third place was Via Sistina (stays at #5, -29pt), suffering her first defeat in five G1 starts since February. Mind you, the same thing happened in last year\u2019s race, after which the mare went on a winning spree.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n For his part, eight-year-old Mr Brightside has now won ten G1s in a total of 20 career successes. \u201cTo win three Makybe Diva’s and make it ten Group 1s, he’s an amazing horse and we’re so lucky to have him,\u201d said co-traine Ben Hayes.<\/p>\n Elsewhere on the horse racing planet, Notable Speech (#29 from #85, +183pt) did not need to improve one iota to justify odds-on favoritism in the Can$1m Woodbine Mile; the Breeders\u2019 Cup Mile, in which he was third last year, will be his primary target.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) heroine Kamunyak (#37 from #98, +153pt) reappeared for the autumn with a G2 win at Hanshin.<\/p>\n \u2022\u00a0View the latest TRC Global Rankings for horses \/<\/a>\u00a0jockeys \/<\/a>\u00a0trainers \/<\/a>\u00a0sires<\/a><\/p>\n \u2018That\u2019s why he\u2019s a champion\u2019 \u2013 Ka Ying Rising confirms world-leading status in Everest prep<\/a><\/p>\n Todd Pletcher back in Top Ten as Fierceness leads impressive G1 haul<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/trc-race-ratings-logo.jpeg\"){kind=logo}
The three-year-old son of Dubawi lit up Day One of the Irish Champions Weekend with a decisive victory to claim Ireland\u2019s premier race \u2013 in the process ciimbing to #13 (from #28, +155pt) on Thoroughbred Racing Commentary\u2019s exclusive Global Rankings<\/a> as he provided his trainer with a record-extending 13th success.<\/p>\n