Vadeni faces Mishriff rematch in Irish Champion Stakes

Luxembourg adds extra spice to top-class Leopardstown contest.

Vadeni will take on Mishriff and Luxembourg in a classy renewal of the Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown on Saturday.

Jean-Claude Rouget has targeted his three-year-old Vadeni at the 10-furlong contest since he beat his elders in the Eclipse at Sandown.

That day he held off the late thrust of John and Thady Gosden’s Mishriff, who many considered to be slightly unlucky in running at Sandown, and he will have another crack at the favourite.

Luxembourg was Aidan O’Brien’s big three-year-old hope of the season having gone unbeaten at two. Having run such a promising race when third in the 2000 Guineas, he unfortunately picked up an injury which kept him off the track until a winning return last month.

Luxembourg (left) was made to battle to win on his comeback
Luxembourg (left) was made to battle to win on his comeback (Donall Farmer/PA)

O’Brien also runs Stone Age, the choice of Ryan Moore in the Derby when sixth, and stable stalwart Broome, who counts the Hardwicke Stakes and Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud on his CV.

Onesto is another French challenger. Fifth to Vadeni in the French Derby, he broke his Group One duck in the Grand Prix de Paris last time out.

The William Haggas-trained Alenquer, winner of the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh earlier in the season, completes the field.

Dermot Weld’s Homeless Songs has missed many opportunities since her startling Irish 1,000 Guineas success but she has been declared among a field of 11 for the Coolmore America “Justify” Matron Stakes.

She will not have it easy, though, with Jane Chapple-Hyam’s Saffron Beach, who has won the Duke of Cambridge Stakes and Prix Rothschild on her last two outings, heading the opposition.

O’Brien’s Tenebrism, winner of the Prix Jean Prat and second in the Rothschild, takes her chance along with Paddy Twomey’s Pearls Galore, the Sir Michael Stoute-trained Lights On and Joseph O’Brien’s Agartha.

Simon and Ed Crisford can do little wrong at present and their Jadoomi looks the one to beat in the Clipper Logistics Boomerang Mile.

Jim Bolger’s Boundless Ocean and Just Beautiful, now with Twomey having previously raced for Ivan Furtado, are also among the eight declared.

Aidan O’Brien’s Auguste Rodin and Tower Of London are among five in the KPMG Champion Juvenile Stakes.

Donnacha O’Brien’s Alder, Bolger’s Serious Challenge and Joseph O’Brien’s Caroline Street complete the quintet.

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