Starting off at Leopardstown on Saturday.
This was Irish Champion Stakes Day with a very busy card starting off with the Juvenile Stakes over 1600m which saw Benvenuto Cellini beat Hardy Warrior by 5 lengths in a race down to four horses after Montreal was scratched.
The CMG Group Stakes was a bit of an upset as the win went to Convergent 3/1 from Flatfoot 33/1 and Sons And Lovers 11/1 and favourite Al Aasy disappointing. Acapulco Bay unfortunately went in the wrong direction and had to add a "4" to his four "3"s.
The Matron Stakes saw Fallen Angle find redemption (and maybe a name change – Ascending Angel perhaps) win comfortably from Exactly 10/3 and Atsila 25/1.
The Solonaway Stakes was a nice win for Johnny Murtah's Alakasi under Ben Coen. They got the better of Mutasaareg 16/1 and Comanche Brave 11/1.
The Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes was an impressive win for Delacroix who seems to be recovering his best form with Anmaat 4/1 second and Royal Champion 18/1 third. Shin Emperor looked fantastic but possibly didn't like the surface as he did not pick up in the run to the post.
On Sunday Irish Racing moved to the Curragh and starting with the Moyglare Stud we saw Precise win for Aidan O'Brien with a thrilled Ronan Whelan in the saddle. Stablemate Beauty was second on 5/1 by ¾ length and Venetian Sun third.
The Flying Five saw Arizona Blaze win for Adrian Murray and David Egan with stablemate Buccanero Fuerte third and in between them Nighteyes on 16/1.
The National Stakes was a great win for Eve Johnston-Houghton's Zavateria 15/2 with Charley Bishop on board and they just managed to get the head-bob in to defeat Gstaad. Italy was third in a six horse field.
The Irish St Leger was a romp for Al Riffa who won by 4 lengths from Amilac who suffered his first defeat but the winner was far too good. He's now firmed into 6/1 favourite for the Melbourne cup and goes into quarantine now.
The Blandford was another win for Jessica Harrington with Barnavara 6/1 and Shane Foley in the irons. One Look was second and Red Letter third.
