RACING NEWS:THOSE FEARFULLY forecasting an expensive procession for the 1 to 4 favourite So You Think in Saturday evening's Red Mills Irish Champion Stakes needn't have worried. Aidan O'Brien's ex-Australian star duly won, but only after a thrilling duel with Snow Fairy that fully lived up to the competitive traditions of the €750,000 highlight.
It might not have had the absolute uncertainty that characterised the famous Fantastic Light v Galileo clash of 10 years ago, or Dylan Thomas against Ouija Board in 2006. There was a resolution to So You Think as he fought off his rival by half a length that suggested Snow Fairy was never quite going to get there. Whether that would have been the case at a mile and a half though is an unknown factor that will exercise Aidan O’Brien’s mind for a while in terms of a tilt at the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.
A total of three Champion Stakes winners have gone on to win the Arc too but while the Coolmore supremo John Magnier outlined a range of options that underline their expensive import’s versatility – the QEII over a mile at Ascot, the Champion Stakes at 10 furlongs, and the Arc at 12 – there was enough “feelgood factor” floating around Leopardstown on Saturday to postpone any big decisions for a while.
A lot of that had to do with an increased attendance for a fixture that began at 3.40 and saw the feature event run at a “twilight” 6.45.
A crowd of 8,295 might not have been exceptional in itself but it was up almost 600 on the 2010 figure and provided encouragement to Horse Racing Ireland officials that a late start to the meeting is something to persevere with for a while more at least.
“I think it helped. I think it is much handier for people who can be so busy on Saturdays. They don’t even have to be here for the first race at 3.40 but they can come later and still see all the big action. You can have the whole day virtually behind you and still go racing and see the Champion at 6.45 and the Matron at 5.40,” the Leopardstown manager Tom Burke said yesterday.
“Certainly in the current climate you would have to be pleased with how much we were up, especially since we really only had about five weeks of a run in where we actually knew we would be starting later.
“I still didn’t know for definite up until recently if the later start would be in place. So for next year, with a longer run in time, and longer to prepare, it should be interesting. I’ve always said it will take two to three years before we can know for definite if it works,” he added.
Burke was enjoying his last race day before retiring later this month and So You Think and Snow Fairy provided an appropriate send-off. O’Brien equalled his old ally Mick Kinane’s tally of seven Irish Champion Stakes victories and indicated there could be improvement to come from a horse who was bringing his Group One tally to eight.
“It’s a long time since he ran. We gave him a good break and we were worried about that. We knew he’d be there to be shot at and Snow Fairy would stalk and that they’d have her spot on,” the champion trainer said. “He was very professional when she put it up to him. He’s getting more relaxed and mature. We will discuss what we do next but he can do anything because he cruises through his races.”
The Sun Chariot Stakes is the definite next target for Emulous who graduated to Group One class herself with a totally convincing defeat of Together and Misty For Me in the Coolmore Fusaichi Pegasus Matron Stakes. Pat Smullen anchored the Juddmonte filly at the back of the field and she swept through in the closing stages to complete a big race double for Smullen and Dermot Weld who earlier had picked up the Group Three Kilternan Stakes with Galileo’s Choice.
