Almanzor makes it year of the French in Irish Champions Stakes

Almanzor bridged a 25-year gap by becoming the first French trained winner of the QIPCO Irish Champion Stakes in quarter of a century at Leopardstown on Saturday evening.

Billed beforehand as one of the finest flat races ever staged in Ireland, the €1.25 million centrepiece to ‘Longines Irish Champions Weekend’ turned into a ‘battle of the sexes’ as the French colt edged out the Irish filly Found by three quarters of a length.

Both started at 7-1, a reflection of how it wasn’t the ‘battle of the sexes’ many anticipated.

Instead of the French Derby winner, Almanzor, it was the Epsom hero Harzand who started a 2-1 favourite to edge out another Aidan O’Brien-trained filly, Minding.

However Harzand was in trouble before the straight and faded to eighth while Minding didn’t get the clearest of runs on the rail and had to settle for third.

The main action came on the outside as Almanzor swept from last under jockey Christophe Soumillon to join battle with Found inside the final furlong. The outcome momentarily looked in doubt but the colt asserted in the closing stages, leaving Found to settle for the runner up spot for a second year running.

Frankie Dettori rode Found after her intended rider, Séamus Heffernan, had earlier taken a dramatic fall from the favourite Idaho in the Doncaster St Leger.

It was Soumillon's day to celebrate in style though and trainer Jean Claude Rouget, who had earlier seen his filly Qemah fail to justify favouritism in the Group One Coolmore Matron Stakes behind Alice Springs, was emotional after securing a first top-flight victory in Ireland.

“I told Christophe to relax. When a horse relaxes it can finish. Qemah was in the middle of the field and couldn’t. But when I saw him come on the outside I knew we had a chance for victory and Christophe says it was quite an easy race – no problem,” said Rouget.

The Belgian jockey added: “We were lucky there was a good pace and the horse relaxed. I know Found is a very good filly but champions can win a race like this.”

It was a first French success in Ireland’s highest-rated race since Suave Dancer scored in 1991 and crucially Almanzor and New Bay (fourth) were the first French trained runners in the race since it was placed under the ‘Champions Weekend’ banner in 2014.

No Irish trained horse has won it since that move, a short term disappointment for home fans but something that will be viewed as a plus for those in charge of the ‘Champions Weekend’ project.

"Internationalisation is important for us. We want to get the best horses here and a French winner might encourage the French to bring even more top horses here to this weekend in future," said the Leopardstown chief executive, Pat Keogh.

Rouget, France’s leading trainer this season, and based in Pau in the south west of the country, insisted he will enjoy a good night on the back of this Irish success before deciding on Almanzor’s next target.

Bookmakers however cut the colt to 5-1 for the Arc although he also has the option of the English Champion Stakes at Ascot.

“He doesn’t appear very tired, and looks like he had an easy race but this is a Group One so we will see. It has a been a wonderful day and we’ve had a wonderful reception here,” Rouget said.

It certainly diluted the disappointment of Qemah’s Matron defeat. Alice Springs had previously finished behind her on three occasions earlier in the season but on home ground, the Aidan O’Brien-trained filly reversed that form in emphatic style.

Qemah started an 11-8 favourite but didn't have the smoothest passage through the race under jockey Gregory Benoist and had to settle for third, a place behind the Frankie Dettori ridden Persuasive.

Ryan Moore watched things unfold from the rear of the field and momentarily had to snatch Alice Springs off the heels of a rival before the Ballydoyle filly swept down the outside.

It was a seventh start of the season for the winner who could be far from finished with prospective dates in both the QEII at Ascot and the Breeders Cup Mile on her agenda, should ground conditions suit her.

“She’s a hardy filly, very professional, and could do both,” indicated O’Brien. “She’s very good. You saw what she did in the Falmouth as well. She has a lot of speed and is very pacey.

“She might get further some day but she’s made for the Breeders Cup on fast ground. We’ll look at the Breeders Cup Mile or something like that. She was a little unlucky in the Breeders Cup last year,” he added.

It was a boost for O’Brien who had been widely expected to win the Leger at Doncaster only for Idaho to stumble in the straight and dislodge Heffernan who was taken to hospital as a precaution but was reportedly okay.

“That’s racing. There are no laws, and there are so many variables. Séamus says the horse put his foot on a divot. What are the chances of that happening?” the trainer said. “Séamus said he was cantering.”

Alice Springs could run into Awtaad in the QEII after the Irish Guineas winner bounced back to winning form in the Group Two Boomerang Stakes.

"He's very good on his day and he keeps me going – gets me out of bed in the morning!" joked veteran trainer Kevin Prendergast.

“He’ll go to Ascot next for the mile race, the QEII. He didn’t like the very fast ground at Goodwood (Sussex Stakes) and didn’t travel very well. But we got him back and he’s in good form again.”

Zhukova also successfully used this ‘Champions Weekend’ as a warm-up for her tilt at Group One glory in next month’s ‘Champions Day’ at Ascot with a smooth defeat of the odds-on US Army Ranger in the KPMG Enterprise Stakes.

She was cut to as low as 4-1 for Ascot's Filly & Mare Stakes and Dermot Weld is even looking further ahead again to 2017 for the filly he bred himself.

“The best is yet to come. I think she could be a serious mare next year. But I expect her to be a Group One filly by the end of this season,” said the trainer who was winning the Group Three Enterprise for a third year in a row after the colts, Free Eagle and Fascinating Rock.

Zhukova was returning after a summer break and looked typically straight-forward, sitting just off the pace for Pat Smullen before quickening up in the straight.

In contrast the Derby runner-up US Army Ranger again cut an enigmatic figure, travelling well into the straight, then seeming to flounder a little before closing the gap to half a length at the line.

Another odds-on Ballydoyle favourite Douglas Macarthur proved even more disappointing in the Group Three Willis Towers Juvenile Stakes.

The colt had been installed as favourite for next year's Derby after his maiden win and carried the colours of leading South African owner Markus Jooste for the first time.

Moore soon sent him to the lead but was in trouble early and had no answer at all to Landfall who made it two from two in some style. General Macarthur struggled home only third.

Having been gelded before his Curragh debut, there are no Derby ambitions for Landfall but trainer Ken Condon reckons he could be the best he's put through his hands.

“I haven’t had better than him and you’re always hoping they can do it on the racecourse. It’s lovely when they do,” said the Curragh trainer.

“I’d say he’ll be put away now and we’ll aim for some nice races next year. He’ll stay a mile and a quarter but he has that nice blend of speed and stamina. All the good ones have that.

“He was still quite green at the finish but I loved the way he travelled during the race. The last 100 yards when he stretched away again was very encouraging. He’s talented and one to look forward to,” Condon added.