Irish & International Sports News, Fixtures & Results

ESHER, ENGLAND - JULY 05: Christophe Soumillon poses at Sandown Park Racecourse on July 05, 2025 in Esher, England. (Photo by Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images)

Soumillon aiming to prove an able deputy on Delacroix

Christophe Soumillon is relishing the opportunity to partner Delacroix in the Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown.

Racing • 12 Sep

Connections of Anmaat have favoured a patient approach over the summer as they hold out for softer underfoot conditions

Hayes poised to partner Anmaat in Irish Champion Stakes

Chris Hayes is set to ride Anmaat in the Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown on Saturday.

Racing • 08 Sep

Anmaat's finest hour came in the Qipco Champion Stakes at Ascot last season

Anmaat on course for Irish Champion Stakes

Anmaat is being readied for the Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown on Saturday week, with trainer Owen Burrows "desperate" to run his stable star for the first time since Royal Ascot.

Racing • 04 Sep

YORK, ENGLAND - AUGUST 20: William Buick riding Ombudsman (R, blue) win The Juddmonte International Stakes at York Racecourse on August 20, 2025 in York, England. (Photo by Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images)

Ombudsman to skip Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown

Godolphin are putting their faith in "master trainer" John Gosden to pull off an exciting autumn schedule with Ombudsman after the handler ruled this year's star performer out of a third clash with Delacroix in the Irish Champion Stakes.

Racing • 03 Sep

Economics (navy blue silks) prevailed in a thrilling finish to the

Economics realises potential in Irish Champion Stakes

Economics cashed in at Leopardstown to claim the Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes after a titanic tussle with Auguste Rodin.

Racing • 14 Sep 24

Auguste Rodin edges out Luxembourg (near side) in last year's renewal

Irish Champion Stakes preview: Luxembourg no minnow

Read our horse-by-horse guide to Saturday's Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes, with a 14-1 selection for the feature race at the Irish Champions Festival.

Racing • 14 Sep 24

Trainer Yoshito Yahag and jockey Ryusei Sakai will team up with Shin Emperor in the Leopardstown feature

Emperor adds Eastern intrigue to Irish Champion Stakes

Shin Emperor will fly the flag for Japan when he takes his chance in the Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown on Saturday.

Racing • 13 Sep 24

Economics is unbeaten in three starts this season

Economics bids to export Irish Champion Stakes

It will take a special horse to end Aidan O'Brien's stranglehold on the Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes, but Tom Marquand is "extremely excited" to partner the imposing Economics when he faces the acid test of his credentials on Saturday.

Racing • 13 Sep 24

Auguste Rodin won last year's Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown

Economics to take on defending champ Auguste Rodin

Economics and Auguste Rodin are among 12 high-class contenders left in the Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes at the confirmation stage for Saturday's Leopardstown showpiece.

Racing • 10 Sep 24

Japanese raider targeting ambitious Irish-French double

Japanese raider Shin Emperor is on course to attempt an ambitious double in the Irish Champion Stakes and the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe after coming through a ParisLongchamp gallop.

Racing • 08 Sep 24

Los Angeles won at Leopardstown over the same course and distance as the Irish Champion Stakes back in May

Los Angeles set to contest Irish Champion Stakes

Los Angeles appears increasingly likely to join stablemates Auguste Rodin and Luxembourg in the Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes, the feature race on day one of Irish Champions Festival weekend.

Racing • 02 Sep 24

Unbeaten as a juvenile, Ghostwriter has yet to record a victory as a three-year-old

Irish Champion Stakes an option for Ghostwriter

The Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes is "under consideration" for Ghostwriter, as connections consider all options following his excellent effort behind City Of Troy in the Juddmonte International Stakes at York.

Racing • 27 Aug 24

Jockey Ryan Moore, with horse Los Angeles and trainer Aidan O'Brien celebrate after winning the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby in July

O'Brien keeping options open on Los Angeles programme

Los Angeles will either run in the Betfred St Leger or the Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes on September 14.

Racing • 25 Aug 24

Luxembourg, with Ryan Moore up, on their way to winning the 2022 Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes

Luxembourg on course for €1.9m Turf Cup in Saudi Arabia

Aidan O'Brien has confirmed his multiple Group One winner Luxembourg an intended runner in the €1.9m Howden Neom Turf Cup in Saudi Arabia next weekend.

Racing • 16 Feb 24

Auguste Rodin thrived for the return to a lively surface

Auguste Rodin back to form in Irish Champion Stakes

Auguste Rodin rose from the canvass once again to hold off Luxembourg and Nashwa and win the Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown.

Racing • 09 Sep 23

Onesto (right) finishing second in last year's race

Chappet feels Onesto can shine in Irish Champion Stakes

Fabrice Chappet is confident last year's runner-up Onesto will put up another bold show when he takes on the likes of King Of Steel and Auguste Rodin in Saturday's Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes.

Racing • 07 Sep 23

Ryan Moore steered Luxembourg to victory

Luxembourg lands Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown

Luxembourg is back in the big time after landing the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown for Aidan O'Brien and Ryan Moore.

Racing • 10 Sep 22

Vadeni and Christophe Soumillon are aiming for three Group 1s in a row

Champions weekend: Soumillon wary of Mishriff threat

Christophe Soumillon sees Mishriff as the biggest danger to Vadeni, who bids to follow up his Coral-Eclipse success in the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown on Saturday.

Racing • 09 Sep 22

Luxembourg (far side) had to dig deep to repel Insinuendo by a neck in the Royal Whip Stakes at the Curragh after a 105-day absence

Moore expects Luxembourg to take a big step forward

Ryan Moore believes Vadeni has every right to be favourite for the Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown, but expects his mount Luxembourg to improve leaps and bounds for a comeback run last month.

Racing • 06 Sep 22

Jim Crowley partnered Baaeed to an emphatic win in the Juddmonte

Baaeed team opt against Irish Champion Stakes run

Baaeed will not contest the Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes, with William Haggas' stable star set to end his career at either Ascot or ParisLongchamp.

Racing • 28 Aug 22

Irish Champion Stakes still a possibility for Baaeed

William Haggas has not definitively ruled out that the Irish Champion Stakes could be a possible option for Baaeed before his planned Ascot swansong in October.

Racing • 18 Aug 22

St Mark's Basilica missed last month's Juddmonte International at York due to a leg infection

Irish Champions Weekend: O'Brien & Keane assess feature

There may be only be four runners in the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown – but the race still looks set to live up to expectations, with three multiple Group One winners taking each other on.

Racing • 10 Sep 21

Poetic Flare is unbeaten in two starts at Leopardstown

Irish Champions Weekend: Flare to step up in trip

Poetic Flare is set to step up in trip for next week's Irish Champion Stakes after trainer Jim Bolger decided against a clash with Baaeed in France on Sunday.

Racing • 03 Sep 21

"We are waiting on soft ground, but he wouldn't be ready until the middle of September"

Meade eyes big autumn targets for Helvic Dream

Noel Meade is considering a range of big-race options for his Group One winner Helvic Dream.

Racing • 31 Aug 21

"St Mark's Basilica is on the right road. It's a case of all good so far and we're on track"

O'Brien's St Mark's Basilica targets Champion Stakes

Aidan O'Brien's multiple Group One winner St Mark's Basilica is on course to recover from a small setback and return to action in time for the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown on September 11.

Racing • 28 Aug 21