Delacroix in his fancy new attire after winning the Irish Champion Stakes (Breandán Ó hUallacháin)
By Breandán Ó hUallacháin
Delacroix (2/1 favourite) won the Group 1 Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown on Saturday, the opening day of the two-day Irish Champions Festival.
Trained by Ballydoyle-based handler Aidan O’Brien, it was a 13th career success in the race for the County Wexford-born conditioner.
The winner was ridden this afternoon by Belgian-born French-based jockey Christophe Soumillon as both Ballydoyle jockeys Ryan Moore and Wayne Lordan were unavailable. Moore is out of action for the remainder of the season through injury, while Lordan is serving a 10-day suspension.
The Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes over a mile and two furlongs saw eight runners participate, with two horses from Britain and one from Japan adding an international dimension to the contest.
Delacroix, a dual course and distance winner, broke well from the gate, but was taken back to relax by Soumillon. He remained towards the back of the field for most of the race, as his stable mate and race outsider in the betting market Mount Kilimanjaro (50/1) set the pace under Ronan Whelan.
The Japansese challenger, Shin Emperor (4/1), a fast-finishing third in this race last season, sat prominent in second position with jockey Ryusei Sakai, but eventually finished sixth.
As the eight-runner field entered the short Leopardstown straight, the pacesetter, Mount Kilimanjaro gave way to his more illustrious stable companion, as Christophe Soumillon brought the three-year-old son of Dubawi from the far to the stands’ side rail.
Within two strides, Delacroix seized control, as the English-trained seven-year-old Anmaat (4/1), winner of the Group 1 Champion Stakes at Newmarket, England, last October, became the eventual winner’s main challenger.
Confidently ridden by Irish jockey Chris Hayes, despite the Shadwell Stud-owned Anmaat’s best efforts, he failed by three-quarters of a length, as Delacroix staying on well inside the final furlong to comfortably claim the €712,5000 first prize.
The valiant Anmaat was runner-up, with English-trained Royal Champion (18/1), another seven-year-old in third for handler Karl Burke, who had completed a race double earlier on the nine-race card. Interestingly the runner-up and third-placed were both seven-year-olds and a horse of that age has never won the Irish Champion Stakes in its 49-year history.
Speaking of the winner, Delacroix, Aidan O’Brien stated post-race:
“It was an even, strong-run race. Christophe (Soumillon, jockey) was very confident on him. He took his time, but when he said ‘go’, he took off. It was a solid race. I’d say it was strong-run race. He obviously had a little bit to do on him.”
When asked about future plans for the three-year-old son of Dubawi, O’Brien was uncertain, stating:
“The Lads (Coolmore partners, owners) can do what they want with him. It could be it (his final race). If he were to run again he has all the options open to him. He could go back to a mile. You say the way he hit the gates, he was there cantering and Christophe took him back a little bit to relax him.
“All the races are open to him, but I’m afraid to say in case ‘The Lads’ say ‘that’s the end’, which is very possible – but it might not be!
“He’s a hardy customer – he’s not for kids. He’s like a big tiger. He’s so far from a wimp. He’s very genuine. He puts his head out and down.”
O’Brien was effusive in his praise of the ‘super-sub’ jockey Soumillon, saying:
“Christophe is a world class big-race jockey – that’s what makes him different. I’d say he was back a lot further than he thought he was going to be.”
Delacroix was a 13th success in the race for the Ballydoyle handler, and his fifth victory in the last six years.
