Champion Stakes News:Dylan Thomas has been installed a warm favourite to carve out his own little bit of history at Leopardstown on Saturday and become the first horse to twice win the Tattersalls Millions Irish Champion Stakes.
Last year's narrow winner over Ouija Board is one of a five-strong entry from Aidan O'Brien's yard for the mile and a quarter highlight and that makes up half of the 10 entries remaining after yesterday's forfeit stage.
However, one of the 10, the Derby and Juddmonte International hero Authorized, was quickly ruled out having been left in the race in error and it also became apparent yesterday that Dylan Thomas is likely to be the Ballydoyle number one.
O'Brien's other star older horse, George Washington, is also an entry in Sunday's Group One Prix Du Moulin at Longchamp and the champion trainer said: "Things can change but at this stage, it looks like Dylan, Duke Of Marmalade and maybe either Archipenko or Red Rock Canyon will run in the Champion. George looks like he might go to the Moulin instead."
If last year's champion miler does go to Paris, it would set up Kieren Fallon for his first chance to ride the charismatic colt since they were beaten in last year's Irish 2,000 Guineas by Araafa.
Another horse with a double entry in the Champion Stakes and the Moulin is the dual classic-winning filly Finsceal Beo but Jim Bolger indicated at the weekend that she will remain at home for the Leopardstown highlight that he won 21 one years ago with Park Express. "My filly is really well, as well as she was at the start of the season, and we're hoping for a big run," he said.
No horse has ever won the Champion Stakes more than once and the nearest to back-to-back victories came when the 1987 winner Triptych ran third to Indian Skimmer the following year.
However that statistic didn't stop bookmakers installing Dylan Thomas as low as evens for Saturday where crucially the ground conditions are likely to be in his favour.
"Good ground always suits our horses," said O'Brien and the going at Leopardstown yesterday was officially "good to firm."
The Leopardstown manager, Tom Burke, said: "It looks like it is basically going to be a dry week with possibly some drizzle but nothing of significance. I imagine we will water at some stage but with the summer we've had there is still a lot of moisture in the ground so it won't need much."
Burke indicated that the Breeders' Cup winner Red Rocks is likely to be a traveller from Brian Meehan's yard in Britain while there could be an extra international element provided by the ex-Ballydoyle runner Mullins Bay who is now trained by the South African champion, Mike de Kock.
Mullins Bay won the Magnet Cup and also a Group Three at York when he was trained by O'Brien.
Authorized, however, will bypass the race and wait for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe after an administrative cock-up at Peter Chapple-Hyam's yard in the morning.
"It was a mistake - I hold my hands up and I will not be declaring him," Chapple-Hyam said. "Authorized is fine but he won't be running before the Arc."
A total of 17 fillies remain in the Coolmore Fusaichi Pegasus Matron Stakes where Red Evie will attempt to defend her Group One crown. She is one of six British-trained fillies in the mile race and two French entries include Darjina who also has the Moulin option at Longchamp.
John Oxx's luckless Arch Swing is among the main home contenders although Tommy Stack's Alexander Tango is more likely to run in the Grade One Breeders' Cup Garden City Stakes at Belmont Park in New York on Saturday night.
The Group Three Star Air Kilternan Stakes over a mile and a quarter has 15 remaining in it with four cross-channel trained hopefuls among them. They include the Royal Ascot winner Zaham and the dual-purpose star Blythe Knight.
BETTING: (Irish Champion Stakes): Cashmans: 11-10 Dylan Thomas, 5-2 Finsceal Beo, 11-2 Duke Of Marmalade, 6 Maraahel and Red Rocks, 25 Archipenko, 50 Mullins Bay, 250 Red Rock Canyon. Paddy Power: evens Dylan Thomas, 4 Red Rocks, 5 Duke of Marmalade, 8 Finsceal Beo, Maraahel, 33 Bar.
