Irish Champions Festival Preview: Top Horses Converge at Leopardstown and Curragh One of the major weekends in the Irish racing calendar is looming large with Champions Weekend at Leopardstown and the Curragh next week. The Irish Champions Festival is the showcase of the Irish Flat season. It is one of the leading international flat racing festivals, now in its 12th year, this special event is run over two days at two of Ireland's leading racecourses, Leopardstown on Saturday 13th of September and the Curragh on Sunday 14th of September 2025. Take our State of Racing Survey for a chance to win a €50 Amazon gift card Day 1 — Leopardstown: Saturday 13th September The opening afternoon takes place at Leopardstown in the foothills of the Dublin Mountains within earshot of the Irish capital. The action is headlined by the Group 1 Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes, one of the most prestigious races in the world. Alongside it are five thrilling Group races on a day stacked with quality. The full race schedule for day one is: 2.15pm The Ballylinch Stud Irish EBF Ingabelle Stakes (Listed) 2.50pm The Irish Stallion Farms EBF Sovereign Path Premier Handicap 3.20pm The KPMG Champions Juvenile Stakes (Group 2) 3.50pm The CMG Group Stakes (Group 3) 4.25pm The Coolmore America 'Justify' Matron Stakes (Group 1) 4.55pm The TonyBet Solonaway Stakes (Group 2) 5.30pm The Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes (Group 1) 6.05pm The Irish Stallion Farms EBF Petingo Premier Handicap 6.40pm The HKJC World Pool Autumn Fillies Premier Handicap Day 2 — The Curragh: Sunday 14th September The second afternoon sees the action switching to the home of Irish Flat racing, the famous Curragh Racecourse in County Kildare. The highlight of the day is the Comer Group Irish St. Leger, the fifth and final Irish Classic of the year. It headlines a stellar race card featuring four Group 1 races and nearly €2.5 million in prize money—making this one of the richest and most exciting race days on the Irish calendar. The full race schedule for day two is: 1.30pm Irish Stallion Farms Bold Lad EBF Premier Handicap 2.05pm Tattersalls Ireland Super Auction Stakes 2.40pm Moyglare Stud Stakes (Group 1) 3.15pm Bar One Racing Flying Five Stakes (Group 1) 3.50pm Vincent O'Brien National Stakes (Group 1) 4.25pm Comer Group International Irish St Leger (Group 1) 5.00pm Moyglare Jewels Blandford Stakes (Group 2) 5.35pm Irish Stallion Farms Northfields EBF Premier Handicap Big names descend on Ireland This year's stellar cast is led by Japanese globe trotter Shin Emperor who heads for the Irish Champion Stakes. Other notable overseas entries include the Owen Burrows' Anmaat and the Ed Walker-trained Almaqam, while on the home front, Aidan O'Brien's star-studded entries currently include Coral-Eclipse winner Delacroix and Tattersalls Gold Cup hero Los Angeles. In the Matron Stakes the likes of Fallen Angel for top UK trainer Karl Burke and Donnacha O'Brien's Porta Fortuna are possible players. Leading the way in Sunday's St Leger are Aidan O'Brien's pair Illinois and Jan Brueghel, while in the Moyglare Stud Stakes the Ballydoyle inmate Composing and exciting Masar filly Venetian Sun for Charlie Johnston are in line for a major clash.
