Big Guns Stand Their Ground

All the leading contenders appear on the list at the latest forfeit stage for the G1 Irish Champion S. at Leopardstown this Saturday. A dry forecast for the week up until Saturday morning has been welcomed by the track officials and by connections of most of the intended runners. This means the mouth watering clash between star 3-year-olds Golden Horn (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}) and Gleneagles (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) looks increasingly likely to happen. However this race is not all about the Classic generation. G1 Prince Of Wales’s S. winner Free Eagle (Ire) (High Chaparral {Ire}), his immediate victim that day and defending champion The Grey Gatsby (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) and veteran MG1SW Cirrus Des Aigles (Fr) (Even Top {Ire}) are all intended runners. Add in top class distaffers like G1 1000 Guineas and G1 Nassau S. winner Legatissimo (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) and G1 Irish 1000 Guineas and G1 Yorkshire Oaks winner Pleascach (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) and we should have a horse race to remember. Looking ahead to Saturday, Pat Keogh, CEO of Leopardstown Racecourse said, “After twelve months preparation, the waiting is nearly over. We are all set to stage one of the best day’s racing ever seen in Ireland. We would encourage people to come early on Saturday and become part of this historic occasion.”