Tips for each of the six Group 1 races on Irish Champions Weekend By Enda McElhinneyA stunning weekend of Flat racing lies in store as the Irish Champions Festival dominates the headlines. They race at Leopardstown on Saturday before switching to the Curragh on Sunday and there are no less than six Group 1 races across the two days and our tipster has picked out a selection in each of those top level contests. Saturday 16:25 Leopardstown - Coolmore America 'Justify' Matron Stakes (Fillies' & Mares' Group 1, 1m) A mile-and-a-quarter on heavy ground at Glorious Goodwood proved too much for Cercene in the Nassau Stakes last month, but the Coronation Stakes scorer should be much more at home back down in trip on a decent surface now. Joseph Murphy's daughter of Australia beat off the rest at Goodwood but had no answer to the dual Oaks winner Whirl. If she can return to the form she showed at Ascot in June over this optimal trip, she is a key player. 17:30 Leopardstown - Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes (Group 1, 1m2f) Three-year-olds have won the last four runnings of the Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes and Aidan O'Brien has bagged five of the last six renewals. Half of the field here are from the Classic generation and they'll be getting 6lb from their older rivals. Delacroix, the fast-finishing Eclipse winner at Sandown in July has officially got 9lb and more in hand on his 3YO rivals coming into this contest and, with old sparring partner Ombudsman skipping this target, a third course and distance win of the season beckons for the Dubawi colt. Sunday 14:40 Curragh - Moyglare Stud Stakes (Fillies' Group 1, 7f) Venetian Sun remains unbeaten and is a Group 1 winner after landing the Prix Morny in France last month from the Royal Ascot winner Gstaad. Karl Burke's filly travels strongly, keeps improving and could be very difficult to thwart now back against her own sex. The daughter of Starman faces a Ballydoyle triple threat in Beautify, Composing and Precise, but she may well have the answers. 15:15 Curragh - Bar One Racing Flying Five Stakes (Group 1) This is perhaps the most open of the Group 1s on offer across the weekend. Aussie raider Asfoora got back on the winning trail in York's Nunthorpe last month, but she isn't one to set your watch by and there are lots of dangers now. Bucanero Fuerte is a reliable four-year-old colt by Wootton Bassett and he rarely gives anything but his best. Adrian Murray's charge is 2-2 in 2025 and fully merits a return to elite company. He was held in this race a year ago and ideally would prefer six furlongs, but he does look a more rounded performer now and has champion jockey Colin Keane for company. 15:50 Curragh - Goffs Vincent O'Brien National Stakes (Group 1, 7f) The aforementioned Gstaad won the Coventry at Royal Ascot in June in the style of a good horse and it was a wafer-thin margin that saw him surrender his unbeaten record in France since, as Venetian Sun just took out the Prix Morny. The manner in which Aidan O'Brien's son of Starspangledbanner was rattling home in that contest bodes well for the step up to 7f now. 16:25 - Comer Group International Irish St. Leger (Group 1, 1m6f) Illinois isn't overlooked in haste and his Goodwood Cup second behind Scandinavia could look like a striking piece of form by the time this race goes off, if the winner has bagged St Leger glory at Doncaster. He's respected, but Al Riffa has always been well thought of by Joseph O'Brien and he may well fulfil his potential over this sort of trip. He won a Group 2 over this track and trip in July in smart style and could give jockeys' championship leader Dylan Browne McMonagle another reason to smile here.
