Irish Champions Weekend - The 5 Defining Moments
by @NiamhTownsend
Rarely, if ever, does Irish Champions Weekend disappoint and this year was no exception with two days of quality racing that drew in some of the best Europe had to offer. Six Group 1 races were held over the two days, and whilst they served up smaller fields than many people were hoping for, they still delivered some brilliant finishes. Keep reading for my five favourite moments from the weekend...
5. The Juvenile Colts Deliver a Thriller
If this weekend has confirmed one thing, it is that the 2019 flat season looks set to be an absolute thriller. We were treated to two electrifying performances on Saturday from Too Darn Hot at Doncaster in the Champagne Stakes as well as easy win for the Kevin Prendergast trained Madhmoon in the Champions Juvenile Stakes. This string of impressive juvenile successes did not stop there, as on Sunday we saw a tussle all the way up to the line in the National Stakes between Anthony Van Dyck and Quorto for the connections of Coolmore and Godolphin respectively. It is not the first time, and surely not the last, that we have seen strong competition between these two powerhouses of racing and they both look to have smart juveniles to go to war with in the not so distant future. In winning by just over a length after asserting his dominance late on, Quorto has maintained his unbeaten record following an impressive success in the Superlative Stakes last time out and is sure to learn plenty from this run and improve further, is he your idea of a classic winner next season? If there's one thing to get excited about for now, it's this: next year's three year old colts will include Too Darn Hot, Madhmoon, Advertise, Quorto, Anthony Van Dyck, and Calyx. What a fantastic classic generation it promises to be.
Quorto gets the better of Anthony Van Dyck in the National Stake - Image from Sporting Life
4. Ballydoyle Flag Flying High in St Leger
It's not often that you get to say you won two St Leger's in the space of just over 24 hours. Fortunately for Aidan O'Brien, Ryan Moore and Coolmore, they get to boast that exact feat following a dominant performance from Flag Of Honour in the Irish St Leger following Kew Gardens' win in the English classic on Saturday. They completed the double last year with Capri and Order Of St George, but with the latter of that pair being retired just a few days ago a new star needed to take centre stage at The Curragh: enter Flag Of Honour. His form has improved dramatically of late following a step up in trip and proved himself at the top level today with a first group one success. It also provided his sire Galileo with a record-equalling 73rd individual winner at the highest level, he only has to get one more to beat his own sire, Sadler's Wells, record. In the meantime, Flag Of Honour looks like the perfect candidate to challenge the money maker that is Stradivarius in the staying series throughout next season, yet another exciting category to look forward to next year.
Flag Of Honour is an all the way winner in the Irish St Leger for Ryan Moore and Aidan O'Brien - Image from Sporting
Life
3. Skitter Scatter's them in the Moyglare
Remember back in July when a 10/1 outsider who had only won a Dundalk maiden won the Silver Flash Stakes and surprised everyone when beating a top class field. Surely a fluke, right? As it turns out, that form has proved to be far from a fluke as on Sunday that consistent and tough filly Skitter Scatter won her first group 1 in the Moyglare Stud Stakes. Ten fillies went to post and it looked to be a tight betting contest with three co-favourites minutes before the race. The money kept coming for Skitter Scatter, though, and she was sent off the 7/2 favourite today and registered an impressive two length victory over Lady Kara in second. It was also a first group 1 success for her trainer Patrick Prendergast and young jockey Ronan Whelan who were understandably thrilled with the success and can now set their sights on bigger and better targets.
Skitter Scatter provides Patrick Prendergast and Ronan Whelan with their first group 1 winner in the Moyglare Stud Stakes - Image from Sporting Life
2. Laurens Digs Deep at Leopardstown
Heart, courage and determination. Just three of the qualities that the lovely Laurens shows time after time in her races. She needed all three of these qualities and more during the best performance of her career to beat the brilliant Alpha Centauri in the Matron Stakes on Saturday. Jessie Harrington's star of the season, Alpha Centauri, was expected to continue her incredible run of form in this group 1 contest and easily so, but if one filly could beat her surely it had to be the Karl Burke trained Laurens. John Dance's filly was sent to win it by jockey Danny Tudhope as they turned for home and Alpha Centauri came to catch her but had no answer as she lost her action slightly close to home and couldn't go past the ultra-tough Laurens who kept finding more and was not for passing. Due to injury, regular jockey PJ McDonald was forced to sit on the sidelines and watch as his filly was steered to victory by Danny Tudhope, but he seemed in great spirits when interviewed on At The Races following the race and is surely looking forward to being reunited with Laurens when he makes his return. A fairytale success for one of the stars of the season.
Laurens shows a brilliant attitude to beat Alpha Centauri in the Matron Stakes - Image from Sporting Life
1. A Roaring Finish to the Champions Stakes
The feature race of the weekend, the Irish Champions' Stakes, always manages to serve up a thrilling finish. Whether it's The Grey Gatsby catching Australia on the line in 2014, Sea The Stars dominating in 2009, Almanzor and Found closing late on in 2016, or even Fantastic Light and Galileo fighting it out back in 2001, it never fails to disappoint. This year was no exception. Roaring Lion has been improving all season and his quality came to the fore in the Irish Champions' Stakes when he was forced to work for his victory by the admirable Saxon Warrior. Sent for home by Ryan Moore as they entered the straight, Saxon Warrior looked to have Roaring Lion beaten up until deep within the final furlong. Somehow, though, Roaring Lion got up in the dying strides off a pace that didn't suit to register his third straight success at the highest level in a truly stunning race that I recommend you watch if you haven't already, or watch again if you have. Saxon Warrior gave everything he had on the inside rail, and battled on despite suffering a career-ending tendon injury in the process and truly doing his name justice as he bravely fought on to only be beaten narrowly by a horse for whom the sky looks the limit.
A thrilling finish in the Irish Champions' Stakes sees Roaring Lion swoop late to catch Saxon Warrior in the dying strides - Image from Sporting Life
This weekend did not come without its lows though, as sadly the news broke on Sunday that both Alpha Centauri and Saxon Warrior suffered career-ending injuries and therefore have been retired. It is unfortunate that we will not get to see these two, who have brought so much joy to so many people this season, light up the racecourse again. They have been truly awesome. From everyone on the Hacked Up Racing team, we wish them a very happy retirement.
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