Saturday 14th September

Irish Champions Weekend Will Be Magical For Ballydoyle

NAP – Magical 4:15 Leopardstown 2/1

It is an amazing weekend of racing on both sides on the Irish Sea this weekend but my NAP this week comes in the Qipco Irish Champion Stakes in Magical. This years renewal is full of class with multiple group 1 performers on show including Derby winner Anthony Van Dyck and Japanese mare Deirdre. Potential improvers include the supplemented Elarqam and Roger Charlton’s Headman who has looked a possible future star after two recent group wins in France.

Although, I cannot see past Aidan O’Briens filly Magical who has been bridesmaid to two of the best horses on the planet this season in Crystal Ocean and Enable. She will be pleased to know she will not have to face those two rivals on this occasion and I feel she can finally gain compensation and bag this huge prize. There is sure to be plenty of pace on with Aidan’s other runners Magic Wand and Hunting Horn likely to make the running, and you can be sure Magical will get a lovely tow into the race under Ryan Moore. Handily drawn she will not have many excuses.

Its hard to believe that Ballydoyle last won this race 8 years ago but with conditions in her favour I am confident Magical can prove she is the best horse in this race, and her fillies allowance only enchances her claims. Very strong win bet for me this weekend.

NB (Next Best) – I Can Fly 5:25 Leopardstown 13/2

My NB this weekend is in the Coolmore “Fastnet Rock” Matron Stakes in I Can Fly. I am at risk of following I Can Fly off a cliff at present as I have always been sure she is a Group 1 winner waiting to happen and I find it hard to believe it still has happened. The last time this filly won was at this meeting last year when she took the Boomerang Stakes quite impressively and she has shown improved form at Leopardstown in particular, a track that seems to suit her style well.

I am prepared to give her one last chance of proving me right in a race I think will surely be run to suit for this filly who looks as though she needs everything to fall right. She is usually ridden for a late challenge and I think there could be plenty of pace on here with Laurens, Hermosa and Iridessa who is returning to a mile. If the ‘big guns’ all get into a pace battle, I Can Fly is sure to be picking up the pieces late on.

It would be a fitting win with Coolmore sponsoring this race with I Can Fly’s sire Fastnet Rock and hopefully she can finally land that elusive first group 1 win.