Champions Festival boost as Dettori eyes record-equalling seventh Irish Champion Stakes victory

Frankie Dettori’s bid to secure a record-equalling seventh success in Saturday’s Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown is being billed as perhaps a final chance to see racing’s most famous figure in action in Ireland.

The Italian superstar is set to team up with the French runner Onesto in the €1.25 million feature of this weekend’s Irish Champions Festival.

First successful in the Champion Stakes all of 25 years ago aboard Swain, one more success will enable Dettori to match the record set by his old rival Mick Kinane. He last won it in 2015 on Golden Horn.

Having announced his intention to quit the saddle at the end of this year, Dettori has enjoyed such a bumper summer that it has prompted speculation about the 52-year-old opting to delay retirement. Prior to this weekend’s Champions Festival action, the Irish leg of a potential “farewell tour” is set to roll into Down Royal when he rides in Northern Ireland for the first time on Friday.

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At the weekend, Dettori enjoyed a successful first visit to Hungary and after riding at Down Royal he is due to hold an exclusive “audience” event with ticket holders at the track.

Travelling south to more familiar ground at Leopardstown a day later is a timely boost to the Champions Festival, Irish flat racing’s in excess of €3 million showpiece event.

The sport’s most famous and charismatic personality is always box office and boasts a run of big-race form this summer that will encourage Onesto fans that the colt can go one better than last year’s second to Luxembourg in the Champion Stakes.

“I think everyone knows that, theoretically at least, he’s on his final goodbye tour and it will be a great opportunity for the Irish public to see him here,” said Leopardstown chief executive Tim Husbands on Monday.

“We don’t know for sure it may be his last appearance on this island, but to see him performing again in the Champion Stakes which he’s won six times before is fantastic. I think it will prove a really big appeal to the racing community, and even those who’ve heard of Frankie Dettori but never seen him,” he added.

Whether the world’s most famous jockey will extend his Irish patronage to the Curragh’s Champions Festival second leg may become clearer after Tuesday’s vital confirmation stage for both programmes.

Dettori has twice before won the featured €600,000 Comer Group Irish St Leger including a memorable victory for Willie Mullins aboard Wicklow Brave in 2016.

Supplementary entries can be made on Tuesday with Alfaila set to be added to the Champion Stakes field by his Shadwell ownership.

Willie McCreery’s Debutante Stakes winner Vespertilio is also likely to be officially added to Sunday’s Moyglare Stud Stakes. The daughter of Night Of Thunder is set to clash again with Ylang Ylang who emerged on top in their previous meeting in the Silver Flash Stakes.

King Of Steel continues to top betting lists for Saturday’s feature with Aidan O’Brien’s dual-Derby winner Auguste Rodin likely to be accompanied by the reigning title holder Luxembourg.

O’Brien saddled the only previous double winners in Dylan Thomas (2006-07) and Magical (2019-20.) The Ballydoyle handler is in pursuit of a 12th victory in the race.

With Ireland enjoying a warm spell of weather, watering began at the Curragh on Monday.

“I don’t want to tempt fate but it looks set fair for the week ahead,” said Curragh chief executive Brian Kavanagh. “We haven’t had to water all summer and there’s plenty of juice in the ground so I’ll be happy the ground will be ideal for any horse.”

Watering is also planned for Leopardstown where ground conditions are also officially good.

“It will be very warm come what may. It’s too difficult to say this early whether there will be rain or thunderstorms at the weekend, or it will be just a lovely afternoon. But we’re prepared for all eventualities. We will be watering this week but we’re very pleased with where we are,” said Husbands.

Saturday’s other Group One highlight is the Coolmore Matron Stakes for which Dermot Weld’s classic heroine Tahiyra is already an odds-on favourite. Weld last won the mile event in 2011 with Emulous.