Constitution River leads a formidable Ballydoyle squad for Leopardstown and the Curragh as Aidan O’Brien targets one of the biggest weekends of the Flat season. 1xBet.ie review shares the key highlights of the autumn season’s main event.
For the first time, I had the opportunity to visit Ballydoyle, one of the most famous training establishments in world racing, as Aidan O’Brien opened the doors ahead of the Irish Champions Festival.
After several days of torrential rain, the sun arrived at just the right time for a beautiful morning in County Tipperary.
O’Brien was in typically good form as he talked us through his potential runners for the two-day showpiece at Leopardstown and the Curragh, taking time to answer every question from the assembled media and staying afterwards for one-to-one interviews and photographs.
Irish Champions Festival is one of the highlights of the Flat season and Ballydoyle will once again be at the centre of it. There are seven Group 1 races across the weekend and O’Brien made no secret of its importance.
“Everything leads to this,” he said.
“We train the horses hard for the Classics early in the season and then we have Ascot and then we have the races in between where they have to compete because they need the racing miles, but we don't be hard on them.
“We were leaving a little bit for this as this is the most important weekend. Everybody's eyes are on it.”
Constitution River Out to Put York Defeat Behind Him
The headline act is Constitution River, who will attempt to give O’Brien a record-extending 14th victory in the Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown.
Winner of the Dee Stakes, Prix du Jockey Club and Coral-Eclipse, the son of Wootton Bassett suffered his first major setback of the season when beaten in the Juddmonte International at York.
O’Brien, however, remains adamant that the result should not be taken at face value.
“It was just a bit of a mess the last day,” he explained. “Everything that could have went wrong, went wrong.”
The intended pace scenario failed to materialise, leaving Hawk Mountain in front and Constitution River closer to the pace than planned. Ryan Moore was then forced to make his challenge earlier than ideal.
“It was all a complete mess really,” O’Brien said.
Rather than losing faith in his star three-year-old, the trainer was prepared to shoulder the blame himself and is considering supplementing another horse to ensure Constitution River gets the strong, even gallop he wants at Leopardstown.
“We always thought the world of this horse. His only blip was the last day and I would be very confident it wasn't his fault. We're hoping he'll leave that run behind him and we're very happy with him.”
That confidence is significant.
The Irish Champion Stakes has been won by Ballydoyle greats including Giant’s Causeway, High Chaparral, Dylan Thomas, Magical, St Mark’s Basilica, Auguste Rodin and Delacroix, and Constitution River has the opportunity to add his name to that illustrious list.
True Love and Precise Set for Matron Stakes Rematch
One of the most intriguing clashes of the weekend could come in the Group 1 Coolmore America “Justify” Matron Stakes, where O’Brien is preparing to reunite True Love and Precise.
True Love defeated her stablemate when winning the 1,000 Guineas, but Precise reversed that form in the Irish 1,000 Guineas before beating her again in the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Having deliberately kept the pair apart since, O’Brien is now considering running both at Leopardstown.
“Precise looks like she gets the mile stronger than True Love, but True Love has a lot of class,” he said.
“It will be interesting and it will probably come down to where they're drawn and who gets the run of the race.”
For punters, that makes the draw and likely pace particularly important when assessing one of the most anticipated races of the weekend.
Scandinavia Leads Powerful Irish St Leger Team
The action moves to the Curragh on Sunday, where Scandinavia could be one of the shortest-priced Ballydoyle runners of the weekend in the Comer Group International Irish St Leger.
The son of Justify has developed into an outstanding stayer, defeating Trawlerman in a memorable Gold Cup at Royal Ascot before confirming his superiority with a dominant performance at Goodwood.
O’Brien could hardly have been more enthusiastic.
“He looks very exciting, doesn't he? He looks very straightforward, a massive high cruiser. He loves doing what he's doing, he has a great mind, and a very big, long stride.
“As a four-year-old, I'm not sure we’ve ever had one that looks as exciting as that.”
Scandinavia could be joined by Jan Brueghel, who should appreciate returning to 1m6f, and Irish St Leger Trial winner Queenstown, giving Ballydoyle considerable strength in depth.
Mission Central Targets Flying Five
Earlier on Sunday, Mission Central will bid to bounce back in the Group 1 Flying Five Stakes.
O’Brien felt circumstances were against him at York and expects the Curragh’s five furlongs to play more to his strengths.
“Mission Central ran well at York. Obviously over five furlongs you have to maybe go a little more forward. We gave him a chance again at York and it’s very hard to make up the ground if you give them a chance there.
“We think over five furlongs at the Curragh will suit him well.”
Charles Darwin and Brussels are also under consideration, with O’Brien describing Brussels as a solid Group performer, while Charles Dawrin was described as having been “disappointing, we just hope that he could start getting it together a bit”.
Ballydoyle's Next Generation Takes Centre Stage
Some of the most fascinating contests of Irish Champions Festival could come from Ballydoyle's exceptional team of two-year-olds.
The Golden Fleece Stakes, upgraded to Group 1 status and now run over 1m1f, is a race O’Brien is particularly keen to support.
Darkness Falls thrust himself firmly into contention with his trainer describing him as “very strong in the picture after the last day” that saw him run out an an impressive winner of a Curragh maiden, while Aix La Chapelle, Sergei Diaghilev, Shakespeare, Victory Speech and Wall Street are among the other possibilities.
The strength of the race historically should not be underestimated. O’Brien has used it with horses including Mogul, Auguste Rodin, Diego Velazquez and Benvenuto Cellini, while Kew Gardens and Delacroix were beaten in the race before subsequently becoming Group 1 winners.
Alpha and Sun Goddess Could Clash in the Moyglare
At the Curragh, Alpha and Sun Goddess could give O’Brien a formidable hand in the Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes.
Alpha has been trained specifically for the race and O’Brien expects the strongly-run seven furlongs to suit the imposing daughter of Sea The Stars and Alpha Centauri.
“Alpha has been trained for the Moyglare all the time. She's a massive, powerful filly and we were happy with her the last day.
“She gets the trip very well and the faster they go the better it will suit her.”
Sun Goddess presents a different challenge. O’Brien was delighted with her latest performance at York and believes she has shown enough to suggest seven furlongs is within her range.
The decision could even leave Ryan Moore with one of the more difficult choices of the weekend.
“It's going to be a hard call,” O’Brien admitted. “Alpha will go hard and drag the living daylights out of everything, and with Sun Goddess you'd be wanting to see if she'll get the trip, so it's going to be a hard one. I suppose it will come down to whether the lads decide to let Sun Goddess run or not. It will be a hard call I think, but looking at Sun Goddess the last day it's going to be very hard to get off her.”
Sun Goddess could alternatively wait for the Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket, while O’Brien has previously described her as a potential Guineas filly. Alpha, meanwhile, possesses the pedigree and physical scope to develop into an Oaks contender next season.
Giant Sequoia vs Haffner in National Stakes
Ryan Moore could face another selection headache in the Group 1 Goffs Vincent O’Brien National Stakes.
O’Brien has won the race 12 times and could unleash two leading Derby prospects in Giant Sequoia and Haffner.
Giant Sequoia, a beautifully-bred son of Frankel out of Classic-placed Pink Dogwood, has won his last two starts and O’Brien believes there is considerably more to come.
“He’s a big, powerful horse and he’ll get a mile well and he’ll get a mile and a quarter next year and could even get further. He’s a big, classy horse.”
Haffner, an impressive winner of the Acomb Stakes at York, provides serious opposition.
“He’s a lovely straightforward, good-moving, typical Justify. He’s relentless with a big long stride, he just keeps going.”
And Moore's likely choice? “Ryan is going to find it very hard to get off Giant Sequoia, but I'd say Haffner is going to be a big danger and I know he loves him, so that isn't going to be an easy decision.”
For ante-post punters looking beyond Irish Champions Festival itself, this could prove one of the most informative juvenile races of the season.
Simply Astounding Could Make Long-Awaited Return
One of the most fascinating horses we discussed was the impeccably-bred Simply Astounding, a daughter of Wootton Bassett and seven-time Group 1 winner Minding.
She has not raced since finishing a beaten favourite in a Group 3 at Naas last year after subsequently suffering a setback, but she is now back in full work.
“She's the class one there,” O’Brien said. “She had a big hold-up. We're not sure she'll be ready to run, but we're hoping that she could be.
“She's a very good filly and she's out of Minding. She got injured early, but she is back in full work.”
If ready in time, Simply Astounding could return in the Group 2 Blandford Stakes over twelve furlongs at the Curragh.
Everything Leads to Irish Champions Festival
Walking around Ballydoyle, one thing became abundantly clear: this isn't simply another big weekend on the calendar for Aidan O’Brien.
The Classics, Royal Ascot, Goodwood and York have all played their part, but Irish Champions Festival has been a target throughout the season.
That makes his comments particularly interesting from a betting perspective.
Constitution River is expected to leave his York defeat firmly behind him. Scandinavia continues to excite his trainer.
Alpha, Sun Goddess, Giant Sequoia and Haffner give Ballydoyle an exceptional group of juveniles, while the potential rematch between True Love and Precise could be one of the races of the weekend, as they face the dual Group 1 winner Blue Bolt, who will be favourite for trainer Andrew Balding.
And after spending a morning at Ballydoyle listening to O’Brien discuss them in detail, his message was unmistakable.
The preparation has been geared towards this. Now everything leads to Leopardstown and the Curragh.
Irish Champions Festival takes place at Leopardstown and the Curragh on September 12-13. Be right at the heart of the action with 1xBet.ie horse racing for the latest markets, prices and betting opportunities across one of the biggest weekends of the Flat racing season.
Please gamble responsibly.
The analytical piece was prepared by Emmet Kennedy — Presenter, Producer, and Owner of The Final Furlong Podcast, Broadcaster with TalkSPORT, and Broadcast Consultant — with the support of 1xBet.ie.
Terminus Platform Ireland Limited does not sponsor any of the events above and has no partnership with associated sports leagues and/or associations.
