Top class action in store at Leopardstown With €2.5 million in prizemoney up for grabs, today’s opening meeting of Irish Champions’ Weekend at Leopardstown promises to be a cracker. The action is set to get underway at 1.30pm with the Listed Ingebelle Stakes for 2-y-o’s over seven furlongs. Trainer Ger Lyons landed this race twelve months ago with Panama Red and looks to have another solid contender this time in the shape of Zarinsk. This is effectively a drop in class for the Juddmonte owned-filly who hasn't been beaten far in her last two outings at Group level. The second race on the card, the Sovereign Path Handicap at 2.05pm, was also won last year by Colin Keane and Ger Lyons and the pair team up this time with the hat-trick seeking Markaz Paname. The three-year-old hasn’t been seen since winning the Group 3 Gladness Stakes back in April, but it was always the plan to give him the summer off as he requires some cut in the ground to produce his best form. With the underfoot conditions set to suit the gelded son of Markaz it’s no surprise to see leading bookmakers BoyleSports install him as their favourite. Just five runners will go to post for the third contest on the card, the Group Two Champions Juvenile Stakes over one mile. BoyleSports are offering their Irish mobile customers Money Back as a free bet on this race. Place a bet on this race and if your selection loses BoyleSports will refund your stake up to a maximum refund of €10. Free bets will expire after 7 days. 18 T&;Cs Apply. The race itself looks to concern a pair of Aidan O’Brien-trained juveniles, Naas maiden winner Auguste Rodin and Leopardstown course and distance winner Tower Of London. The big race of the day is the €1 million Irish Champion Stakes at 3.45pm which sees a pair of French raiders and two from Britain take on a trio of Ballydoyle representatives in a fascinating seven runner renewal. Coral Eclipse winner Vadeni heads the market for the powerful combination of Jean-Claude Rouget and Christophe Soumillon and the three-year-old son of Churchill will again face Mishriff which was a neck behind him in the Sandown contest. Champion jockey Colin Keane will partner Mishriff this time, while Ryan Moore will be aboard the main Ballydoyle hope Luxembourg who got his season back on track with a victory at the Curragh last month. The Group One Matron Stakes is the other top class race of the afternoon with eleven fillies and mares set to face the starter at 4.55pm. All eyes will be on impressive Irish 1000 Guineas winner Homeless Songs as she makes her first racecourse appearance since that runaway success towards the end of May. Dermot Weld has been very patient with his star filly, waiting for an ease in the ground before racing her again, and he should be rewarded with another top tier success. If Homeless Songs fails to repeat her 1000 Guineas display there are plenty of high class horses in opposition for a race that has only seen one winning favourite in the last twelve renewals. The Leopardstown action is rounded off with the fiendishly difficult 23 runner Petingo Handicap over one mile and four furlongs at 5.30pm. Willie Mullins has a good record in this race with three victories in the last nine years and he has booked the services of Tom Marquand for his sole runner this time, Baby Zeus. The five-year-old only managed to finish 12th in this race last year but arrives here off the back of a decent effort when 3rd in a similar contest at the Galway Festival.
