By Tom Frary
Capping another red-letter day for Coolmore and Team Ballydoyle and a memorable one for Christophe Soumillon, Delacroix (Dubawi) justified favouritism in style in Leopardstown's G1 Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes. He also punched his ticket to the GI Breeders' Cup Turf at Del Mar on November 1. Sent off the well-supported 2-1 market-leader, the Eclipse hero sat a way off the strong pace before delivering a jaw-dropping killer kick between the three and the two as if he had just jumped in.
In command before his chief rival Anmaat (Awtaad) had time to react, the colt that Ryan Moore had picked in the Derby surged relentlessly up the hill to bring up a baker's dozen for Aidan O'Brien in this prestige contest. That he was so strong and there was only a 3/4-of-a-length margin between him and Shadwell's veteran at the line is a statement of just how admirable the runner-up is, but this was a show of class from the winner who possesses unique properties of acceleration. Royal Champion (Shamardal) was another 2 1/4 lengths back, gaining another Group 1 placing.
“He's some horse–an incredible horse,” O'Brien said of Tepin's final foal, who was putting the deflating experience of his Juddmonte International second firmly behind him. “When you say go on him, it's over. It's unusual, but we saw it at Sandown and we saw it again today. He's so quick.”
“He's like a big tiger. He's a hardy boy, a big, powerful strong horse and what he did at Sandown, you don't see horses do that–I don't think I've ever seen a horse do what he did,” he added. “York was just an exercise canter really, only a sprint down the straight and in two strides it was over today. He looked like he wasn't in the picture and next thing he was in front.”
At the close of play on a momentous Saturday, O'Brien could boast the St Leger and Champagne at Doncaster and this card's Champions Juvenile and Ingabelle as well as the feature. Undoubtedly, Delacroix was the one that really mattered and connections can ponder a plethora of opportunities from here until season's end or even instant retirement a la St Mark's Basilica. “He has all the options open to him,” his trainer said. “He could go back to a mile, but I'm afraid to say in case the lads say 'that's the end', which is very possible.”
Owen Burrows said of Anmaat, “I'm thrilled with him and he has run an absolute blinder and done nothing wrong. He turns up every time and does his thing and I wish I had a few more like him. Hopefully it might be a little on the softer side at Ascot and it was always the plan to come here and then all being well go back to Ascot to defend his title in the middle of October.”
Karl Burke has the Bahrain International Trophy in mind for Royal Champion. “I think it was a superb run and the winner looks an absolute monster,” he said. “He looked a superb horse in the paddock and it's the first time I've really had the chance to look at him properly in the flesh.”
“We got in a great rhythm and he looks to have taken a step forward from both all known form and his win at York last time and I think the result today confirms that. Watching the replay, he was hard for Cliff to pull up and I wouldn't mind stepping him up in trip at some stage. But that can wait till next year and he goes for the Bahrain International in November now and we think he should run a big race over there.”
Pedigree Notes
Delacroix is the last foal out of the incredible five-times top-level-winning Breeders' Cup Mile and Queen Anne heroine Tepin (Bernstein), who also provided the operation with the G1 Prix de Royallieu winner Grateful (Galileo). Tepin's dam Life Happened (Stravinsky) is also responsible for the four-times Graded Stakes winner Vyjack (Into Mischief).
Saturday, Curragh, Ireland
ROYAL BAHRAIN IRISH CHAMPION STAKES-G1, €1,250,000, Leopardstown, 9-13, 3yo/up, 10fT, 2:04.69, g/y.
1–DELACROIX (IRE), 129, c, 3, by Dubawi (Ire)
1st Dam: Tepin (MGISW-US, GISW-Can & G1SW-Eng,
$4,437,918), by Bernstein
2nd Dam: Life Happened, by Stravinsky
3rd Dam: Round It Off, by Apalachee
TDN Rising Star. O-Derrick Smith, Mrs John Magnier & Michael
Tabor; B-Tepin Syndicate; T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Christophe
Soumillon. €725,000. Lifetime Record: G1SW-Eng, 11-6-4-0,
$2,269,506. *1/2 to Grateful (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), G1SW-Fr,
GSW-Ire & GSP-Eng, $269,515. Werk Nick Rating: C. Click for
the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the
free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Anmaat (Ire), 135, g, 7, Awtaad (Ire)–African Moonlight
(UAE), by Halling. (140,000gns Wlg '18 TATFOA). O-Shadwell
Estate Company Ltd; B-Ringfort Stud; T-Owen Burrows.
€250,000.
3–Royal Champion (Ire), 135, g, 7, Shamardal–Emirates Queen
(GB), by Street Cry (Ire). O/B-Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al
Maktoum; T-Karl Burke. €125,000.
Margins: 3/4, 2 1/4, 1 1/4. Odds: 2.00, 4.00, 18.00.
Also Ran: Hotazhell (GB), White Birch (GB), Shin Emperor (Fr), Zahrann (Ire), Mount Kilimanjaro (Fr).
DELACROIX is a fine winner of the €1.25m Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes! @LeopardstownRC | @BahrainTurfClub pic.twitter.com/WnGT9hdb2v
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) September 13, 2025
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