Irish Champions Festival Each Way Lucky 15 RAHMI — 2.10pm Leopardstown Saturday Johnny Murtagh left Leopardstown last year with a double and one of those big race winners Rahmi will again represent the Curragh trainer seeking a repeat win in the Sovereign Handicap. He was rated 103 when winning at odds of 14/1 12 months ago resulting in a 9lb hike by the handicapper. However, he has steadily dropped back down in the ratings since and races off 93 on Saturday after hinting a return to form last time. His habit of missing the break was evident again at the Curragh last time when he gave the field a head start before making headway to finish a never nearer sixth. Once he starts passing horses, he goes up a gear and when winning this race 12 months ago came from the back of the field off a fast pace to get his head in front where it mattered. There’ll be no hanging around here from the outset which should help him once he doesn’t give them too much of a headstart from his outside draw under Seamie Heffernan. The Murtagh stable is also represented with the 3yo Sindagan who chased home a subsequent winner at Fairyhouse before going on to shed his maiden tag at the Galway festival but preference is for last year’s winner. YOUSAYNOTHINGATALL — 5.35 Leopardstown Saturday Winner of the same Curragh race that unearthed a Champions Festival winner last season (Shaool finished second before going on to land the Northfields after) this 3yo filly is on an upward trajectory. One of five runners in this race trained by Joseph O’Brien, she was teak tough when Dylan Brown McMonagle asserted pressure and she duly responded to his urgings seeing out the 12-furlong trip well at headquarters last time. Her win that day crowned a magnificent five-timer for the sidelined Donegal rider. Now running off a 5lb higher mark and partnered by five-time British champion Oisin Murphy, she might still have more improvement in her tackling this longer journey, the extra furlong likely to play to her strengths. DARK ACE - 1.45pm Curragh Sunday Ado McGuinness has always believed in this 4yo sprinter and was rueing the decision to run him in Galway where he finished down the field over 7f after he had scored last time on the AW over six at Dundalk. Third in the Rockingham here in June, he was unlucky when third in a valuable 14-runner Newbury handicap over this trip previously when the ground was lively but given he appreciates some give in the ground he should have his ideal conditions here. Behind several of these when they clashed at the Curragh on Oaks day, the faster ground was probably against him on that occasion when settling for a midfield finish but any rain that falls beforehand should certainly help his cause. MANTON BAY — Curragh Sunday 5.45pm Having justified favouritism when landing a Killarney 1m handicap, David Marnane's charge ran a cracker under a penalty afterwards when running into a handicap blot in Loughrea here last month in the Irish Cambridgeshire. A creditable second of 17 behind Andy Slatery's winner that day, he pulled well clear of the third then and this step back up in trip should help this strong traveller. He'll race off a career-high mark under regular pilot Luke McAteer but has been a model of consistency this term and can run a big race again.
