Kingfisher in Tandem With Australia

Kingfisher (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who has chaperoned Australia (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) to wins in the G1 Epsom Derby, G1 Irish Derby and G1 Juddmonte International, will likely accompany his star stablemate once more in the Sept. 13 G1 Irish Champion S. at Leopardstown, according to trainer Aidan O’Brien. Winner of Chester’s Listed Dee S. in May, he also retains a nomination to the same day’s G1 St Leger at Doncaster. 

“It’s not vital [to have a pacemaker], but Kingfisher has been with Australia in the Derbies and at York to make sure it’s not a dawdle,” commented O’Brien. “Australia cruises along and I don’t think it’s an advantage for anyone if it’s a dawdle. Kingfisher is happy to go along with an even pace and if anyone wants to go faster that’s fine too, but he sets a sensible pace and it suits most horses. Australia had a break after the [Irish] Derby and we were hoping he’d be ready in time to go to York. If we didn’t run him at York we were going to go straight for the Irish Champion.” 

The duo are among 15 Irish Champion entries from Ballydoyle.