Three exciting races in the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In will take place at Leopardstown Racecourse Sept. 13 as part of Irish Champions weekend, led by Coral-Eclipse (G1) winner Delacroix in the Irish Champion Stakes (G1).
The winner will gain an automatic berth into the $5 million Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T) through the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series, an international series of 93 stakes races in 15 countries whose winners receive automatic starting positions and fees paid into a corresponding race at the Breeders' Cup World Championships, scheduled to be held Oct. 31-Nov. 1 at Del Mar.
Two other "Win and You're In" berths will also be awarded at Leopardstown. The winner of the Matron Stakes (G1) will earn an automatic starting position into the $2 million Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1T), and the winner of the Champions Juvenile Stakes (G2) will earn a free spot into the $1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1T).
Delacroix Favored in Irish Champion Stakes
The Aidan O'Brien-trained Delacroix is a short-priced favorite for Saturday, having finished second to one of the top-rated horses in the world, Ombudsman, in the Juddmonte International Stakes (G1) last time out. He ran ninth in the Epsom Derby (G1) in June.
Delacroix, a son of Dubawi and the final foal out of two-time Eclipse champion turf female Tepin, has winning course and distance form at Leopardstown after landing consecutive group 3s earlier this season—first in the Ballysax Stakes (G3), beating eventual Derby winner and stablemate Lambourn, and second in the Derby Trial Stakes (G3) in May. Leading French jockey Christophe Soumillon takes the ride.
Last year's Champions Stakes (G1) winner Anmaat finished second to Ombudsman in the Prince of Wales's Stakes (G1) at Royal Ascot last time out for trainer Owen Burrows. Shadwell Estate's 7-year-old has only been seen twice this season due to the dry summer, so conditions are in his favor with the ground described as soft, yielding to soft, in places.
The J. P. Murtagh-trained Zahrann, second to Amiloc in the King Edward VII Stakes (G2) at Royal Ascot before landing the Curragh's Royal Whip Stakes (G3) over 1 1/4 miles last time out, steps up to group 1 company for the first time.
On the colt's chances in Saturday's feature race, jockey Ben Coen said: "He handled the ground at Ascot but it was very firm, so it probably was a little quicker than ideal. Looking at the forecast for the weekend, it should end up lovely ground.
"He won at Leopardstown over a mile and a half during the summer when he quickened well off a slow pace. He was impressive and it's always a bonus when they've been around the track and won."
Shin Emperor, White Birch, and Royal Champion also merit attention.
Field of 11 Declared for Matron
Wathnan Racing's classic-winning filly Fallen Angel is the star among 11 fillies set to start in the one-mile Matron Stakes for a free berth into the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf.
The Karl Burke-trained 4-year-old daughter of Too Darn Hot finished second in last year's renewal and looks to go one better Saturday. The Yorkshire-based filly won the Prix Rothschild (G1) at Deauville last month, beating the O'Brien-trained runner-up January, who is also in action Saturday.
On Fallen Angel's chances, Burke said: "I think she'll go there with a great chance. Any juice in the ground would be to her advantage as well. Faster ground would be slightly against her, but the addition of sheepskins has helped her as well. She's not an ungenuine filly; she just needs to concentrate.
"At the moment, she's in great form."
Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier, and Michael Tabor's January finished second in two consecutive group 1 events—the Prix Rothschild (G1) and Newmarket's Falmouth Stakes (G1) in July.
Prior to that, the daughter of Kingman finished third to group 1-winning Cercene—also running Saturday—in the Coronation Stakes (G1) at Royal Ascot in June. Shane R. Stafford's Cercene, trained by Joseph G. Murphy, finished second to Whirl in the Nassau Stakes (G1) at Goodwood .
Five Declared for Champions Juvenile Stakes
Peter Brant, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael B. Tabor, Derrick Smith, and Westerberg's Benvenuto Cellini is favored for the one-mile Champions Juvenile Stakes, which awards the winner a free berth into the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf.
The son of Frankel , out of 2018 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1T) winner Newspaperofrecord, was an impressive winner in his second start, running over a mile at Killarney, having finished second to Dorset at the Curragh June 28. Benvenuto Cellini is one of two runners in the race for O'Brien, with Montreal, a son of Sea The Stars, who won a maiden over the course and distance last month.
Joseph O'Brien has also declared two colts: Hardy Warrior, who beat Montreal to win a maiden race in July after finishing fourth to Benvenuto Cellini on his first start for Millennium Stud, and outsider Nil Bua Gan Dua—a son of 2015 American Triple Crown and Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) winner American Pharoah —who finished fourth at the Curragh in his only start to date.
The all-Irish trained field is completed by Donnacha O'Brien trainee A Boy Named Susie, who finished fourth in the Futurity Stakes (G2) over seven furlongs at the Curragh last month.
This press release has been edited for content and style by BloodHorse Staff.
