Three Breeders’ Cup win-and-you’re-in races will take place at Leopardstown on Saturday, led by last year’s Breeders’ Cup Turf winner Auguste Rodin in the Group 1 Irish Champion Stakes.
Pre-race favorite Economics steps up to Group 1 company for the first time in the 1 1/4-mile Irish Champion Stakes and joins the eight-horse field alongside last year’s winner Auguste Rodin for trainer Aidan O’Brien. The winner will gain an automatic berth into the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Turf.
Two other win-and-you’re-in berths also will be awarded at Leopardstown. The winner of the Matron Stakes (G1) will earn an automatic starting position into the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf, and the winner of the Champions Juvenile Stakes (G2) will earn a spot into the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf.
The William Haggas-trained Economics swept his rivals aside to record a decisive 6-length victory in the Dante Stakes (G2) at York in May before landing the Guillaume d’Ornano Stakes (G2) at Deauville last month.
Haggas is confident the son of Night of Thunder is ready to step into deep waters when he heads to Leopardstown. “It will be his first time in a Group 1 and he’s going to have the might of Ballydoyle to take on plus a few others, but we will see,” he said. “This is what it is all about, isn’t it? I could do with the race being in England, but I think he is ready to step up for sure. I don’t know where his ceiling is, but I hope we’re not there yet. Hopefully, there will be plenty more to come.”
Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Mrs. John Magnier, and Westerberg’s Auguste Rodin already is guaranteed a run in the 2024 Breeders’ Cup thanks to his victory in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes (G1) at Royal Ascot in June. He was last seen finishing fifth in The King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (G1) at Ascot in July.
The partnership also is represented by 2022 Irish Champion Stakes winner Luxembourg, Irish Derby (G1) winner Los Angeles and 4-year-old Hans Andersen. Los Angeles drops back in distance, having competed over 1 1/2 miles in his last three starts, which include a victory in the Great Voltigeur Stakes (G2) at York last month. Aidan O’Brien is seeking a sixth straight win in the race.
Three-year-old Shin Emperor travels from Japan, having finished third in the Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby, G1) for trainer Yoshito Yahagi in May.
Clive Cox is represented by Ghostwriter, who was last seen finishing third behind City of Troy in both the Coral-Eclipse (G1) and the Juddmonte International Stakes (G1). The Karl Burke-trained Royal Rhyme, who finished sixth in the Juddmonte International, has also been declared and completes the line-up.
10 declared for Matron Stakes
Coronation Stakes (G1) winner Porta Fortuna, who finished second in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1), is the star attraction among 10 fillies set to start in the one-mile Matron Stakes (G1) for a free berth into the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf.
The Donnacha O’Brien-trained daughter of Caravaggio finished second in the 1000 Guineas (G1) at Newmarket in May before back-to-back victories at Royal Ascot in the Coronation Stakes (G1) and at Newmarket in the Falmouth Stakes (G1).
Karl Burke declared 2023 Moyglare Stud Stakes (G1) winner Fallen Angel, who bids for a third Group 1 victory on Irish soil. The daughter of Too Darn Hot returned to form in emphatic style at The Curragh when landing the Irish 1000 Guineas (G1) after a below-par effort in the 1000 Guineas (G1) at Newmarket. She has been absent since because of an injury setback. This will be her first run in Wathnan Racing colors after the Qatari operation purchased her.
The Yorkshire-based trainer reports her in good form and said, “She’s over her little setback that she had during the summer and is training very well. She’s proved in the Irish Guineas that she’s definitely trained on. We were a bit disappointed with the run at Newmarket but I think that was to do with the undulations of the track. The Curragh suited her really well and I think Leopardstown will suit her just as well.”
The Group 1-winning Ylang Ylang was disappointing last time out when finishing seventh for trainer Aidan O’Brien in the Bahrain Turf Club Desmond Stakes (G3) over the course. Jockey Ryan Moore reported the ground to be too quick for the 3-year-old daughter of Frankel and connections will be hoping she’s back to her best.
Willie McCreery is represented by two runners; Jancis, an unbeaten 3-year-old filly by Tamayuz who won the Brownstown Stakes (G3), and Vespertilio, who finished second to Fallen Angel in last year’s Moyglare Stud Stakes. The daughter of Night of Thunder has been slightly disappointing this season despite finishing a close third in the Emirates Poule d’Essai des Pouliches (G1) at Longchamp in May.
Now trained by Joseph O’Brien, last year’s second, Rogue Millennium, has been declared. The daughter of Dubawi was last seen finishing third in the Prix Rothschild (G1) at Deauville in July after finishing third to Porta Fortuna in the Falmouth Stakes earlier that month.
Four declared for Champions Juvenile Stakes
Delacroix is the favorite in the Champions Juvenile Stakes and will try giving Aidan O’Brien a third straight victory in the one-mile event, which awards the winner a free berth into the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf.
The son of Dubawi was an impressive winner in his second start over seven furlongs at The Curragh and is one of two runners for Aidan O’Brien, with Bernard Shaw, a son of Into Mischief, joining him in the race.
The all-Irish trained field is completed by Green Impact, winner of the Maiden for trainer Jessica Harrington at Leopardstown in July, and the Joseph O’Brien-trained Green Triangle.
