Weather to dictate plans for Weld trio Ground conditions are likely to dictate whether Free Eagle and Forgotten Rules take up their respective engagements on Irish Champions Weekend. Free Eagle has not been seen since his thrilling victory in the Prince of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot, but is being prepared to take on the likes of Derby hero Golden Horn and dual 2000 Guineas winner Gleneagles in the Qipco Irish Champion Stakes on September 12. Forgotten Rules, who lost his unbeaten record when third in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot before disappointing when backed up quickly at the Curragh, could return in the Irish St Leger on September 13, but ease in the ground is essential. Fiona Craig, breeding advisor for owners Moyglare Stud, said: "Forgotten Rules went out for a gallop this morning and Free Eagle did a bit on the all-weather. They both seem in very good form. "Ideally we want better ground for Free Eagle, softer ground for Forgotten Rules and fast ground for Carla Bianca (Blandford Stakes, September 13), so I suppose we might not be able to run them all. "It would be great to run Forgotten Rules in the Leger, but we won't run him on fast ground and the stayers' race at Ascot (British Champions Long Distance Cup, October 17) is his big aim again. "Free Eagle is just doing his regular schedule and will probably work again on Monday. "He's on schedule for the Irish Champion Stakes and we'll just have to see what turns up. It'll be a great race whoever turns up and could be the race of the season if they're all there. "I think we'd like good ground, but then if the ground is on the fast side we'll probably find Golden Horn and Gleneagles waiting for us. "If there's some ease in the ground, we might have less horses to beat, so we'll see which way it goes."
