Ground conditions drying ahead of Irish Champion Stakes The Irish Champions Festival kicks off at Leopardstown this afternoon with the €1,250,000 Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes the highlight on a nine-race card beginning at 2.15. Delacroix faces seven rivals in the feature, which goes to post at 5.30, with fellow Group 1 winners Anmaat, White Birch and Hotazhell all sure to appreciate the rain-softened conditions. Shin Emperor, a close third to Economics 12 months ago, once again travels over from Japan while the progressive Zahraan, Royal Champion and Mount Kilimanjaro complete the line-up in this 1m2f event. The Coolmore America ‘Justify’ Matron Stakes (at 4.25) is the other Group 1 race on the card with Fallen Angel and January renewing rivalry having been separated by just a head in the Prix Rothschild at Deauville last month. Cercene had January back in third when landing the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot while Vera’s Secret, a three-time winner at this venue, is another to consider along with Exactly and the mud-loving Sparks Fly. The going at Leopardstown was soft at the 48-hour declaration stage but is currently described as yielding with Clerk of the Course Lorcan Wyer saying, “It was a very breezy day on Friday, and we have had just 1mm of rain since 8am yesterday. “The forecast is generally dry for today. It will again be breezy with the outside chance of an occasional shower. “The ground is on the slow side but certainly better than we were at decs.” Irish Champions Festival, which continues at the Curragh tomorrow afternoon, boasts prizemoney in excess of €5m with runners from as far afield as Japan, Australia and Germany plus a large raiding party from the UK. There are four Group 1 races at the Curragh including the €500,000 Comer Group International Irish St Leger. Following 2.5mm of rain the going at the Curragh remains good to yielding, yielding in places, on the round course and yielding on the straight course. There is the possibility of a further 2-5mm of rain today with a further 10mm tomorrow, heaviest in the morning.
