Golden Horn bumps Free Eagle in Leopardstown© Photo Healy Racing
Investec Derby winner Golden Horn proved too good for the opposition in the Group One Irish Champion Stakes but the race wasn't without incident as he ducked violently right in the final furlong and bumped Free Eagle
When the stalls opened Frankie Dettori pushed him up into an early lead along the rail from gate one. Highland Reel sat on his outside with Free Eagle tracking the pair in third, just ahead of Pleascach Found raced fifth on the inside with Cirrus Des Aigles sixth. Last year's hero The Grey Gatsby was content to race in rear of this elite seven-runner field.
At the halfway stage Golden Hero held the lead by a neck from Highland Reel. The leader came off the bridle over two furlongs from home but still held the initiative on the rail.
Free Eagle loomed large on the outside in the home straight and soon came to challenge Golden Horn. With less than a quarter of a mile to go the pair were battling away at the head of affairs. However, just over 150 yards from home Golden Horn veered sharply right and bumped Free Eagle who was about three parts of a length down.
Dettori got the 5/4 favourite back on an even keel and the pair strode on to score by a length from the fast-finishing Found who came through on the inside for second at 6/1.
Free Eagle, who was popular in the ring from 4/1 to 10/3, was half a length back in third.
There was a stewards enquiry but the result stood.
This was Dettori's sixth victory in the Irish Champion Stakes.
"The best horse won. What he did took me by surprise. I don't know what he saw, I don't know if it was the big screen or a cameraman but he ducked really really quickly," Frankie Dettori said.
"It's a shame because it just put a bit of a dampener on a great performance. It was a stellar field and he did it the hard way and he showed what a good horse he is and the courage he has got. He has been a consistent horse throughout.
"He wouldn't want it any softer than today. I think the ground is key with him. He owes us nothing, I'm very proud of him."
Trainer John Gosden said: "He had to do it the hard way as there was no obvious pace. Being drawn one he didn't want to get boxed in if there was no pace.
"He just seen something under the rail and ducked at it. A photographer has told me it was the shadow of the grand-stand and you can't really see it on the TV.
"Frankie was aware of it straight away and gave him a crack down the shoulder before a right hander to straighten him. He seemed to be going right away at the end.
"I thought Found was the main danger as she's an improving three-year-old filly and she finished very strong.
"Free Eagle ran a solid race too - obviously a very good race.
"Obviously we'd like to go for the Arc and he handled slow good to soft ground there. If it was like that or better it would be fine but I wouldn't want to run on soft heavy ground.
"I walked the track today and thought it was pristine. The groundsmen deserve recognition as it was beautiful ground."
Aidan O'Brien said of Found: "I'm delighted with the run - she ran a great race.
"She'll appreciate going up to a mile-and-a-half. The plan was to come either here or the Vermeille and then the Arc but we didn't want to travel with her if we didn't have to."
Gleneagles was a notable non runner due to the going.
Paddy Power cut Golden Horn from 10/1 to 5/1 for the Arc and also shortened Found to 10/1 from 14s for the same race.
The Stewards interviewed C.Soumillon , rider of Cirrus Des Aigles, concerning the fact that he wore a skull cap in this race which did not conform to the standards as set out in Regulation 10. The rider was allowed to wear the skull cap following consultation with the Medical Officer, given that it was only noticed in the parade ring, prior to this race.
Evidence was heard from the rider concerned, Mr.Robert Rusk, Valet and Dr. Adrian McGoldrick, Turf Club Medical Officer. Having considered all the evidence and taken into account that there was a break down in communication between the rider and the Medical Officer, the Stewards reminded the rider of his future responsibilities to familiarise himself and adhere to the standards outlined in Regulation 10.
Additional reporting by Gary Carson
