Irish Champion Stakes Tips

Twice recently we have been treated to races of the highest order, which have produced finished to saviour. Firstly there was Hurricane Run's tenacious display to outpoint Electrocutionist and Heart's Cry in the climax to a thrilling renewal of the King George VI Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes. But the best finish of the season was fought out by Ouija Board and Alexander Goldrun in the Nassau Stakes at Glorious Goodwood where Ed Dunlop's stable star narrowly prevailed in a photo finish. The two super mares are set to lock horns once again in the Baileys Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown on September 9, a race which is shaping up to be a truly mouthwatering clash, with Eclipse hero David Junior and facile Irish Derby victor Dylan Thomas also poised to go to post. David Junior, winner of the English equivalent of this race at Newmarket last season, reaffirmed his status as the leading horse over this trip in Europe when producing a power-packed turn-of-foot to take the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown on July 8, a race in which Ouija Board was back in fifth, albeit given a poor ride and encountering traffic problems at a crucial stage. Brian Meehan's charge is a top-priced 2/1 unanimous favourite for this contest, ahead of the Aidan O'Brien-trained Dylan Thomas, about whom Coral offer a stand-out price of 11/4 (he is generally 9/4 or 5/2). The latter, whose trainer has won this race three times since 2000, was beaten a neck into third behind Sir Percy in the Vodafone Derby, but duly gained rich compensation when running out an impressive winner of the Budweiser-sponsored Irish equivalent at The Curragh on July 2. The form of that race looks suspect, but there can be no doubting the superiority with which he won, and the son of Danehill is clearly one of the best members of the current Classic generation and will merit the utmost respect when taking on his elders in this event. Ouija Board is available at 4/1 with Stan James (as short as 10/3 with Coral) after she prevailed in the closest of calls when getting the better of Alexander Goldrun in the Nassau. The way that race was run, in that there wasn't a particularly strong pace, didn't play to the strengths of either mare, so they deserve extra credit for producing such a nail-biting finish. The runner-up, who looked unlucky when beaten under a length into third behind Oratorio in this race last year after meeting with trouble in running, is a best-priced 6/1 with Paddy Power to go two places better this year, while exacting revenge on her Goodwood conqueror concurrently. Outside of the top four, the rest are big prices. Andre Fabre's Manduro, second to Librettist in the Prix Jacques le Marois, and Mustameet, improving winner of a Group 2 at The Curragh recently, are both generally 16/1 chances, ahead of Maraahel, who is 20/1 with Paddy Power, and Ace, Mountain High and Rob Roy can all be backed at 25/1.