Foley pays tribute to Harrington after Hotzahell lands Irish Champion Stakes

The form of the Grosser Dallmayr-Preis - Bayerisches Zuchtrennen in Munich really came to the fore in the Group 1 Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown as Hotazhell (50/1) held on by a nose from Wimbledon Hawkeye (33/1).

The pair clashed in that German Group 1 in July where Hotazhell prevailed with Wimbledon Hawkeye just over half a length away in third.

There was plenty going on in the straight in this 1.25m euro feature on day one of Irish Champions Festival with a number of horses running short of room.

Hotazhell was switched out to come with his challenge inside the final quarter of a mile and he took much closer order racing behind Constitution River at the furlong pole.

Hotazhell challenged and headed Constitution River in the closing stages, but he wasn't home yet as Wimbledon Hawkeye ran on powerfully to force the photograph in a thrilling finish.

The judge gave the verdict to Hotazhell by the narrowest margin from Wimbledon Hawkeye as 11/8 favourite Constitution River finished three-quarters of a length behind this battle in third.

Shane Foley said: "Unreal!

"He's a very good horse, we didn't see the best of him last year and he has really tuned the corner this year.

"What a woman Jessie is! We have been having a quiet season for our standards - things just haven't been going our way and I actually thought I was done again, being honest.

"He's a very, very good horse and I think a proper, true run mile and a quarter race, you see the best of him.

"He dined at the top table all last year and he has been knocking on the door running well. Just things didn't happen for him, he was running on really firm ground last year.

"He has got a couple of runs on kinder ground and I'm relieved. It is hard, you are working every day - when things are really flying, and then they quieten down. Jessie still instils the confidence, doesn't tell you what to do, leaves it to you, and I'm so glad I can repay her with a Group One Champion Stakes.

"She has brought me to the next level. She has stood by me when I had no job and gave me her job, and we have had some really, really good winners together. She is a phenomenal woman. Kate (Harrington) is doing a lot there as well - she works really, really hard and I am so happy for them."

Jessica Harrington said: “I didn't think he deserved to be 50/1, he'd won a Group 1 in Germany last time and came here in good form.

“If you look up all his form from last year, it was on ground that was too quick for him. He kept on trying, he got his conditions today and he went and did it.

“Shane is very strong, but the horse is very tough. He knows where the winning post is and he put his head down on the line.”

When asked if she thought he had won passing the line Harrington added: “I really didn't know. I didn't even hear it (the result) the first time because I was coming down out of the stands.

“Then they said it again and I said ‘oh my God I did win!' It's fantastic to get this on the CV.

“He's in the British Champion Stakes and that's probably where he'll go.

“We've really always thought the world of him. Last year was just one of those years, he should have won in America and he got a bad run around in the race. Things just didn't go right for him.

“Even at the beginning of this year, he took a while to get going.

“These races are hard to come by and, by Christ, when you get them, enjoy them.

“He goes now from here to Ascot and then he's going to go and be a stallion.

“He always was a good horse. He was a very tough two-year-old and just things went wrong as a three-year-old really.”

Additional reporting by Gary Carson