Stellar entry for Irish Champion Stakes A Japanese contender, the very best of the current Classic generation and a host of top-class older horses are among the 54 entries for the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown on the opening day of Longines Irish Champions Weekend on Saturday September 11. The five-year-old Mozu Bello, trained by Naoyuki Morita, recently finished runner-up in the Grade 1 Osaka Hai at Hanshin and could become the second horse trained in Japan to run in the Leopardstown highlight after Deirdre’s gallant fourth in 2019. The winners of this year’s Newmarket, French and Irish 2,000 Guineas head the home challenge. Jim Bolger has entered both Poetic Flare and Mac Swiney, while St Mark’s Basilica features among an incredibly strong entry from Aidan O'Brien. O'Brien also has his Newmarket 1,000 Guineas winner Mother Earth as well as Tattersalls Irish 1,000 Guineas one-two Empress Josephine and Joan Of Arc in the ten-furlong Grade 1. Ballydoyle’s leading Epsom Derby hopes Bolshoi Ballet and High Definition are in the race as are the top Oaks contenders Santa Barbara and Snowfall. A host of older superstars also feature among O'Brien’s initial entry, namely Love, Japan, Armory, Broome and Mogul. Helvic Dream became Noel Meade’s first Group 1 winner when edging out Broome to win the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh last Sunday, while Dermot Weld’s star mares Tarnawa and Search For A Song are also entered along with the Jessica Harrington-trained Lucky Vega and Alpine Star. The 15 British entries are headed by the John and Thady Gosden-trained Palace Pier, currently the world's highest-rated racehorse. The father and son team have also entered the well-travelled Mishriff and Lord North while Ed Dunlop’s Derby hope John Leeper, William Haggas’ four-time Group 1 winner Addeybb and David Menuisier’s dual Group 1 heroine Wonderful Tonight are also part of a formidable team from across the Irish Sea. Last year’s Melbourne Cup winner Twilight Payment is among a massive entry of 77 horses for the Comer Group International Irish St Leger at the Curragh on Sunday September 12. Also included in the 14 entries made by his trainer Joseph O'Brien are the ever-improving Baron Samedi, the stable’s new recruits Cormorant, Mythical and Dawn Patrol, and Master Of Reality. No trainer has a better record in the race than nine-time winner Dermot Weld and he has entered the Moyglare Stud Farm-owned Search For A Song, winner of the race for the past two years, and recent Chester Cup winner Falcon Eight. There are 19 British-trained entries for the race topped by the 2019 Doncaster St Leger hero Logician, while last year’s Comer Group International Irish St Leger runner-up Fujaira Prince, Third Realm, Believe In Love, Subjectivist and Pyledriver are also entered. The first three horses home in the Comer Group International 50th Oleander-Rennen at Hoppegarten have also been entered. The Andreas Suborics-trained Rip Van Lips won the Group 2 event earlier this month, beating Roland Dzubasz’s Memphis and Brokeback Mountain which is trained in France by Yann Barberot. A second French-trained entry is Andre Fabre’s Tides Of War. Raa Atoll, winner of the Hoppegarten race in 2019, is one of four entries for sponsor Luke Comer. Brian Kavanagh, CEO of Horse Racing Ireland, said: “The racing calendar gives us all so much to look forward to throughout the year and the upcoming renewal of Longines Irish Champions Weekend is set to be very special. Both Leopardstown and the Curragh will play host to the best of international racing in September and the initial entries for the feature races show that the 2021 renewal will be well up to the standard of previous years.”
