September 10, 2022
The centerpiece of the weekend is the Irish Champion Stakes.
Seven go to post led by Vadeni, the 11/8F. The Aga Khan-owned colt was very impressive in taking the Prix du Jockey Club by 5L in June and followed up taking the Eclipse, coming from last to first to win a neck from Mishriff a month later in July.
Mishriff hasn’t won since the International at York last year. He was beaten in the Champion Stakes last October, virtually pulled up in Riyadh in February, second in the Eclipse, third in the King Geroge and second to Baheed in the International this year, he is the joint second choice in the market at 4/1.
Luxembourg is also available at 4/1. The one-time Derby favourite heads a trio of Ballydoyle runners. Injury ruled him out of Epsom and his comeback run in the Royal Whip at the Curragh saw a workmanlike performance yielding a narrow win. As a juvenile, he was a very good winner of the Doncaster Futurity Trophy last year. Broome and Stone Age accompany him, neither won on recent trips to America where they were well held in the Saratoga Derby and Sword Dancer respectively.
Onesto like Vadeni travels from France. Well beaten by him at Chantilly in June he’s since had the one run winning the Grand Prix de Paris in July.
Alenquer returns to Ireland, the scene of his greatest triumph, he took the Tattersalls Gold Cup in May but he was a disappointment at Sandown when last in the Eclipse.
After a long dry spell, the ground in Dublin has been rain softened in the last week (very heavy bursts Friday afternoon). It will not inconvenience the favourite given his ability to cope with it in Paris. It may go against Mishriff, Alenquer and Broome, all whose best form is on fast however it should be within the compass of Luxembourg, Stone Age and Onesta. They have all who’ve coped with soft in the description in the past, Luxembourg last year at Doncaster, Stone Age when second in very soft at Saint-Cloud last November and Onesta this year at Longchamp.
While the favourite will be hard to beat a chance is taken on Luxembourg. The potential he showed as a two-year-old can be translated into his three-year-old career.
Recommendation
Luxembourg 4/1 win
Follow All The Action
Pattern Racing World Championships 2022 – Horse
Pattern Racing World Championships 2022 – Sire
Pattern Racing World Championships 2022 – Jockey
Pattern Racing World Championships 2022 – Trainer
