By Sean Cronin
Christophe Soumillon was forced into switching mounts, taking up piloting duties aboard Killarney maiden winner Benvenuto Cellini (Frankel) after TDN Rising Star Montreal (Sea The Stars) was scratched, in Saturday's G2 KPMG Champions Juvenile Stakes–formerly known as the Golden Fleece Stakes–and the rider continued on a winning roll as the son of Newspaperofrecord (Lope De Vega) stepped forward to claim a career high in the one-mile contest. His tally earned him a spot in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Del Mar at the beginning of November.
“He's a lovely horse and a great mover by Frankel out of a very good mare,” said Aidan O'Brien. “He's been going well at home and Christophe [Soumillon] gave him a very uncomplicated ride. He's a smasher, he's got a big open stride, he's genuine and he cruises. He looks like he's going to be a lovely middle-distance horse and Christophe thinks he feels like a French Derby horse. He can go again this year, maybe in the Racing Post [G1 Futurity Trophy] or one of the French [Group 1] races [at ParisLongchamp and Saint-Cloud], and then start in one of the Derby trials next year.”
The 1-2 favourite bowled along in second for the most part as Hardy Warrior (Pinatubo) set the tempo up front. Sent wide into the straight for a narrow advantage passing the quarter-mile marker, he was beyond recall thereafter and powered clear underneath the stands' side rail inside the final furlong to easily outclass the pacesetting Hardy Warrior by five lengths. Nil Bua Gan Dua (American Pharoah) was a half-length away in third, a nose in front of A Boy Named Suzie (Starspangledbanner).
Benvenuto Cellini is bred to be top-class and the Frankel colt is very good in the Group 2 @KPMG_Ireland Champions Juvenile Stakes, scoring under Christophe Soumillon for Aidan O'Brien @LeopardstownRC pic.twitter.com/AjUzUhIzdB
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) September 13, 2025
Pedigree Notes
Benvenuto Cellini, who becomes the 110th Group winner for his sire, is the second of four foals produced by GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf and GI Just A Game Stakes heroine Newspaperoftherecord (Lope de Vega), whose first was his Listed Lingfield Oaks Trial-winning full-sister and G1 Oaks fifth Giselle. His G3 Sceptre Stakes-winning second dam Sunday Times (Holy Roman Emperor), who also ran second in the G1 Cheveley Park Stakes, is also the dam of Listed Cecil Frail Stakes winner Classical Times (Lawman). She is kin to the stakes-placed dam of black-type stakes winners headed by G1 Irish Derby hero Latrobe (Camelot). Hailing from the family of G1 Prix de la Foret runner-up Welsh Emperor (Emperor Jones), Benvenuto Cellini is full to a yearling filly and half to a weanling colt by Justify. His dam was bred back to Justify this year.
Saturday, Curragh, Ireland
KPMG CHAMPIONS JUVENILE STAKES-G2, €150,000, Leopardstown, 9-13, 2yo, 8fT, 1:42.35, g/y.
1–BENVENUTO CELLINI (IRE), 131, c, 2, by Frankel (GB)
1st Dam: Newspaperofrecord (Ire) (MGISW-US, $1,122,250), by Lope De Vega (Ire)
2nd Dam: Sunday Times (GB), by Holy Roman Emperor (Ire)
3rd Dam: Forever Times (GB), by So Factual
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. O-Peter M Brant, Mrs John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Westerberg; B-Coolmore & White Birch Farm SC; T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Christophe Soumillon. €90,000. Lifetime Record: 3-2-1-0, $122,470. *Full to Giselle (Ire), SW-Eng & GSP-Ire. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Hardy Warrior (Ire), 131, c, 2, Pinatubo (Ire)–Hazel Bay (Ire), by Iffraaj (GB). 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (€68,000 Wlg '23 GOFNOF). O-Millennium Stud Sp ZOO; B-Moyglare Stud Farm; T-Joseph O'Brien. €30,000.
3–Nil Bua Gan Dua, 131, c, 2, American Pharoah–Bellize, by Noble Mission (GB). 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. ($38,000 Ylg '24 KEESEP; €160,000 2yo '25 TATBRU). O-A K Whelan & Reeves Thoroughbred Racing; B-Thor-Bred Stables LLC (KY); T-Joseph O'Brien. €15,000.
Margins: 5, HF, NO. Odds: 0.50, 2.75, 40.00.
Also Ran: A Boy Named Susie (Ire). Scratched: Montreal (Ire).
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