This weekend promises top-tier racing excitement with both the Doncaster St Leger meeting and Leopardstown’s Irish Champion Stakes card, the highlight of the Irish Champions Festival. Harry Reynolds covers the ITV broadcast, which includes a race from Leopardstown, while here I’ll share insights on five of today’s standout Irish races.
Leopardstown Saturday Tips – Selections and Analysis
Below are my top three recommendations. Please note, odds come from Sky Bet and were current at the time of publication.
RON WOOD’S PICKS
(odds from Sky Bet)
- 3:55pm Leopardstown: Blue Bolt ⭐⭐⭐ at 5/4
- 4:25pm Leopardstown: Quddwah ⭐⭐⭐ at 10/3
- 5:00pm Leopardstown: Constitution River (nap) ⭐⭐⭐ at 13/8
2:45pm Leopardstown – Group 1 Golden Fleece Stakes (1m 1f)
This race, previously the Champions Juvenile Stakes, has been upgraded from Group 2 and extended by a furlong since last year. Last year’s winner was Benvenuto Cellini, who went on to claim the Irish Derby. Trainer Aidan O’Brien enters four horses, with Darkness Falls being the jockey Ryan Moore’s preferred mount. Although Darkness Falls finished behind two rivals on debut—Green Dreamer and stablemate Shakespeare—he won his next race impressively by seven lengths over the same trip.
Pick: Darkness Falls ⭐⭐
3:15pm Leopardstown – Group 3 Kilternan Stakes (1m 4f)
Purview, a lightly raced contender, shows Group 1 potential, having won a Listed race at 1m 4f and a Group 3 at 1m 2f this season. He has defeated four horses that later won Group races. However, Goodie Two Shoes, a seasoned seven-year-old mare, looks strong. Trained by Joseph O’Brien, she was runner-up in last season’s Melbourne Cup and recently captured a Group 2 race at Goodwood over 1m 6f. Her stamina and experience might give her an edge over the faster Purview, who has yet to win at Leopardstown.
Pick: Goodie Two Shoes ⭐⭐
3:55pm Leopardstown – Group 1 Matron Stakes (1m)
This is the only Leopardstown race on ITV. Last year’s winner Fallen Angel, who later beat Blue Bolt for the Group 1 Sun Chariot at Newmarket, needs to find top form again and may struggle if the ground dries. Blue Bolt, on the other hand, has improved markedly this year, winning all four of her starts and beating Precise in consecutive Group 1 races. She looks set to take this race.
Pick: Blue Bolt ⭐⭐⭐
4:25pm Leopardstown – Group 2 Solonaway Stakes (1m)
I favor the highest-rated runner here, Quddwah. This six-year-old, trained by Simon and Ed Crisford, has won half of his 16 races, including three Group 2 victories, two of which were in Dubai this year. He was also runner-up to Ombudsman in a Group 1 at Meydan in March. While this might be a prep run for bigger targets, his official rating of 114 puts him well clear of the competition.
Pick: Quddwah ⭐⭐⭐
5:00pm Leopardstown – Group 1 Irish Champion Stakes (1m 2f)
This race features the top three finishers from the Juddmonte International at York: Item, Almaqam, and Constitution River (my nap). The York event was chaotic with a slow finish, which suited Item, so I’m skeptical about a repeat performance. Almaqam may improve after going too early at York and has a Group 1 Irish win this season in the Tattersalls Gold Cup. However, I’m backing Constitution River to outperform his York form. The Aidan O’Brien-trained three-year-old was unruly in the Juddmonte but previously claimed victory in the French Derby and Eclipse Stakes. Constitution River is expected to peak now, aiming to continue O’Brien’s dominance in this race, which he has won six times in seven years and 13 times overall.
Pick: Constitution River (nap) ⭐⭐⭐
Summary of Saturday’s Leopardstown Picks
- 2:45pm – Darkness Falls
- 3:15pm – Goodie Two Shoes
- 3:55pm – Blue Bolt
- 4:25pm – Quddwah
- 5:00pm – Constitution River (nap)
Star Ratings & Alerts Explained
Stars reflect the confidence level in each selection, with five stars indicating a very confident pick. Odds are from Sky Bet and accurate at the time of writing.
- ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Confident pick
- ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Strong fancy
- ⭐⭐⭐ Fair chance
- ⭐⭐ Tentative choice
- ⭐ Minimal confidence
- 🚨 Denotes Group 1 race
Fan Take:
This weekend’s action showcases some of the finest talent in European racing, with races that highlight emerging stars and proven champions alike. For racing enthusiasts, it’s a thrilling opportunity to witness top-class competition that could shape the sport’s future landscape and create memorable moments for fans and bettors alike.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
