Big three clash in Irish Champion Stakes St Mark's Basilica, Tarnawa and Poetic Flare have stood their ground at the final declaration stage for the Irish Champion Stakes but are only joined by outsider Patrick Sarsfield as just four are declared for the €1m highlight of Irish Champions Weekend at Leopardstown on Saturday. The mile and a quarter event promises to be a cracker with the quartet having won nine Group 1 races between them, although tactics are likely to be at a premium with such a small line-up. IHRB Flat Handicapper Mark Bird is thrilled at the prospect of three world class horses locking horns saying, “The Irish Champion Stakes is once again set to be the jewel in the crown of what promises to be a mouth-watering festival of world class Flat racing in Ireland this weekend. "It is a true heavyweight contest with the world’s top-rated horse and four-time Group 1 winner St Mark’s Basilica going up against the world’s highest-rated distaffer and Breeders’ Cup winner Tarnawa as well the world’s leading three-year-old miler and dual Group 1 winner Poetic Flare. “Seeing these Group 1 winners over eight furlongs, ten furlongs and 12 furlongs clashing on home soil over the Intermediate distance provides a veritable clash of the divisions, sexes and generations and is a race for the ages on our doorstep.” The Coolmore America ‘Justify’ Matron Stakes is the other Group 1 event on this eight-race card and the mile fillies race has attracted 13 runners including last year’s winner Champers Elysees, although Johnny Murtagh has not declared Create Belief. Qipco 1000 Guineas winner Mother Earth looks sure to go off favourite and Aidan O’Brien is also represented by Tattersalls Irish 1,000 Guineas heroine Empress Josephine and Friendly. Paddy Twomey’s Pearls Galore and Ger Lyons’ Acanella are other interesting contenders while Ed Walker sends over Dreamloper. There is over two million euro in prize-money on offer at Leopardstown but just five runners are travelling over from the UK and none from further afield. The second leg of Irish Champions Weekend takes place at the Curragh on Sunday where four Group 1 races are up for decision including the €500,000 Comer Group International Irish St Leger.
