HOTAZHELL WAS A shock 50-1 winner in a thrilling finish to the Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown, where none of the envisaged main protagonists were a factor at the finish.
Billed as a rematch of the Juddmonte International Stakes, Aidan O’Brien’s Constitution River was the 11-8 favourite to turn the tables on York one-two Item and Almaqam back on home soil.
With Ballydoyle dictating the pace it looked like usual order would be restored when Ryan Moore set sail for home inside the final two furlongs aboard the highly-regarded French Derby and Coral-Eclipse hero.
However, it was in fact Group One action in Germany that was repeated in Dublin, as Jessica Harrington’s four-year-old edged out George Scott’s Munich third Wimbledon Hawkeye (33-1) for a nose verdict, with Constitution River three-quarters of a length back in third.
“I didn’t think he deserved to be 50-1, he’d won a Group One in Germany last time and came here in good form,” said Harrington.
“If you look up all his form from last year it was on ground that was too quick for him. He kept on trying, he got his conditions today and he went and did it.
“Shane (Foley) is very strong, but the horse is very tough. He knows where the winning post is and he put his head down on the line.”
Asked if she thought he had won passing the line Harrington added: “I really didn’t know. I didn’t even hear it (the result) the first time because I was coming down out of the stands.
“Then they said it again and I said, ‘oh my God I did win!’. It’s fantastic to get this on the CV.”
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She added: “He’s in the British Champion Stakes and that’s probably where he’ll go.
“We’ve really always thought the world of him. Last year was just one of those years, he should have won in America and he got a bad run around in the race. Things just didn’t go right for him.
“Even at the beginning of this year he took a while to get going. These races are hard to come by and when you get them enjoy them.
“He goes now from here to Ascot and then he’s going to go and be a stallion.
“He always was a good horse. He was a very tough two-year-old and just things went wrong as a three-year-old really.”
Darkness Falls ridden by Ryan Moore on their way to winning the Golden Fleece Stakes at Leopardstown.
Meanwhile, Darkness Falls came home strongly to both enhance his reputation and follow in the footsteps of some high-class Ballydoyle alumni in the HKJC World Pool Golden Fleece Stakes.
Aidan O’Brien’s youngster arrived at Leopardstown having impressed with a wide-margin success on his second start at the Curragh and relished tackling an extra furlong in a race run as a Group One for the first time, powering to a four-and-a-quarter-length win in the hands of Ryan Moore.
He adds his name to a roll of honour that includes Benvenuto Cellini (2025), Diego Velazquez (2023) and Auguste Rodin in recent years. He was made Paddy Power’s 7-1 Derby favourite in the immediate aftermath.
O’Brien said of his even-money winner: “He had a lovely run around here in a maiden and then was very impressive the last day. Obviously he’s by Camelot which makes him extra special.
“Ryan said the trip is going to be no problem, a mile and he’s going to get a mile and a quarter next year. He just has a lot of class.
“It’s an unbelievable race to have on here at this time. It’s a lovely first running of it. It’s going to be a very important race and all the good horses were there, all the good middle-distance type horses.
“I was very impressed and delighted with him. It was a proper gallop, there was nowhere to hide out there. Ryan eased out with him and he quickened up very well.
“He has a lovely nature, which makes him really special. He’s very exciting.
“He’s out of a No Nay Never mare so there is a lot of speed in there but he has the class. I’m delighted to have him.”
Saffie Osborne with Highwayman. Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
At Doncaster, Saffie Osborne made history as she became the first woman to ride the winner of a British Classic when she prevailed in the Betfred St Leger.
Hollie Doyle, in whose footsteps Osborne is quite clearly following, does have a French Classic on her CV, but while she recuperates from a serious leg injury she has been beaten to the punch by Osborne, who delighted the huge 30,000-plus crowd at Doncaster.
Trained by Joseph O’Brien, who also saddled second home Enceladus, Osborne’s mount Highwayman was incredibly sent off at 250-1 for a Naas maiden in June. Since then, he had won at Killarney, taken a Listed race at Leopardstown and now the world’s oldest Classic, for which he returned at 11-1.
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Hotazhell emerges as 50-1 Irish Champion Stakes winner at Leopardstown
LAST UPDATE | 12 Sep
HOTAZHELL WAS A shock 50-1 winner in a thrilling finish to the Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown, where none of the envisaged main protagonists were a factor at the finish.
Billed as a rematch of the Juddmonte International Stakes, Aidan O’Brien’s Constitution River was the 11-8 favourite to turn the tables on York one-two Item and Almaqam back on home soil.
With Ballydoyle dictating the pace it looked like usual order would be restored when Ryan Moore set sail for home inside the final two furlongs aboard the highly-regarded French Derby and Coral-Eclipse hero.
However, it was in fact Group One action in Germany that was repeated in Dublin, as Jessica Harrington’s four-year-old edged out George Scott’s Munich third Wimbledon Hawkeye (33-1) for a nose verdict, with Constitution River three-quarters of a length back in third.
“I didn’t think he deserved to be 50-1, he’d won a Group One in Germany last time and came here in good form,” said Harrington.
“If you look up all his form from last year it was on ground that was too quick for him. He kept on trying, he got his conditions today and he went and did it.
“Shane (Foley) is very strong, but the horse is very tough. He knows where the winning post is and he put his head down on the line.”
Asked if she thought he had won passing the line Harrington added: “I really didn’t know. I didn’t even hear it (the result) the first time because I was coming down out of the stands.
“Then they said it again and I said, ‘oh my God I did win!’. It’s fantastic to get this on the CV.”
She added: “He’s in the British Champion Stakes and that’s probably where he’ll go.
“We’ve really always thought the world of him. Last year was just one of those years, he should have won in America and he got a bad run around in the race. Things just didn’t go right for him.
“Even at the beginning of this year he took a while to get going. These races are hard to come by and when you get them enjoy them.
“He goes now from here to Ascot and then he’s going to go and be a stallion.
“He always was a good horse. He was a very tough two-year-old and just things went wrong as a three-year-old really.”
Meanwhile, Darkness Falls came home strongly to both enhance his reputation and follow in the footsteps of some high-class Ballydoyle alumni in the HKJC World Pool Golden Fleece Stakes.
Aidan O’Brien’s youngster arrived at Leopardstown having impressed with a wide-margin success on his second start at the Curragh and relished tackling an extra furlong in a race run as a Group One for the first time, powering to a four-and-a-quarter-length win in the hands of Ryan Moore.
He adds his name to a roll of honour that includes Benvenuto Cellini (2025), Diego Velazquez (2023) and Auguste Rodin in recent years. He was made Paddy Power’s 7-1 Derby favourite in the immediate aftermath.
O’Brien said of his even-money winner: “He had a lovely run around here in a maiden and then was very impressive the last day. Obviously he’s by Camelot which makes him extra special.
“Ryan said the trip is going to be no problem, a mile and he’s going to get a mile and a quarter next year. He just has a lot of class.
“It’s an unbelievable race to have on here at this time. It’s a lovely first running of it. It’s going to be a very important race and all the good horses were there, all the good middle-distance type horses.
“I was very impressed and delighted with him. It was a proper gallop, there was nowhere to hide out there. Ryan eased out with him and he quickened up very well.
“He has a lovely nature, which makes him really special. He’s very exciting.
“He’s out of a No Nay Never mare so there is a lot of speed in there but he has the class. I’m delighted to have him.”
At Doncaster, Saffie Osborne made history as she became the first woman to ride the winner of a British Classic when she prevailed in the Betfred St Leger.
Hollie Doyle, in whose footsteps Osborne is quite clearly following, does have a French Classic on her CV, but while she recuperates from a serious leg injury she has been beaten to the punch by Osborne, who delighted the huge 30,000-plus crowd at Doncaster.
Trained by Joseph O’Brien, who also saddled second home Enceladus, Osborne’s mount Highwayman was incredibly sent off at 250-1 for a Naas maiden in June. Since then, he had won at Killarney, taken a Listed race at Leopardstown and now the world’s oldest Classic, for which he returned at 11-1.
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Doncaster Leopardstown Racing