St Mark's Basilica and Ryan Moore (purple) beat Tarnawa (left) and Poetic Flare © Photo Healy Racing
Despite the small field, the Irish Champion Stakes certainly lived up to its billing and produced a thrilling finish with the 5/6 favourite St Mark’s Basilica gaining a fifth successive win at Group One level.
Outsider of the quartet Patrick Sarsfield made the running tracked by Poetic Flare with the winner in third and Tarnawa held up in rear.
It was a fairly even gallop before the three main protagonists came to the fore in the straight, with Poetic Flare hitting the front under two furlongs as the eventual winner picked up for Ryan Moore to give chase.
The son of Siyouni was on terms a furlong out as he began to edge across the track towards the stands’ side with Tarnawa, who was starting to motor herself under Colin Keane, being forced to follow the winner’s path as she challenged widest of all.
Although it was hard to be sure exactly when St Mark’s Basilica headed Poetic Flare, who was racing on his own towards the far side, the Coolmore-owned colt stayed on well in the final hundred yards to win by three quarters of a length, with Tarnawa just shading second by a short head from Poetic Flare.
The head-on replay was certainly illuminating as it revealed the extent to which St Mark’s Basilica had edged right throughout the final furlong and a half, with the racecourse photographers in no little jeopardy as the first two home were racing straight towards them in the closing stages, but despite Tarnawa being significantly inconvenienced, the placings remained unaltered following a stewards’ enquiry.
Moore picked up a one day suspension for careless riding.
After finishing up last season by winning the Dewhurst, the winner was remaining unbeaten at Group One level this term after landing the French Guineas/Derby double and the Coral-Eclipse.
Winning trainer Aidan O’Brien said: “It was great because it was very tactical.
“They sprinted up the straight and he did well. He had a bit of catch up to do after the last day (missing York).
“One thing we knew that he does is quicken. That's what he always had, his strong qualities are that he relaxes and can really turn it on.
“They set off a nice pace, Kevin was in second and he steadied it down to get himself straightened up and set up.
“When they turned in they burned and I'd love to see what time they did for the last two furlongs. They ran up the straight.
“He's just an exceptional horse and we're very lucky to have him. All the lads at home have done a great job with him to get him back here today after the last day.
“The two targets he had were York and here and after that we were going to see what way he came out of it and see what way we were going to go.
“He has all the options, he can go back to a mile or go a mile-and-a-quarter. All those races have to be there. A little bit of a problem with the QEII, we know that he handles soft ground but Ascot can be run in very bad ground.
“He did well to get back here after York and we'll see how he is after this.”
Quotes from Gary Carson
