Golden Horn Prevails in Leopardstown Thriller

In a wild finish to the Irish Champion Stakes (Ire-I), Golden Horn swerved out into challenging Free Eagle but got across the finish line first and then held on to the win after a stewards' inquiry Sept. 12 at Leopardstown. 

 

Investec Epsom Derby (Eng-I) winner Golden Horn, the 5-4 favorite, dictated the running for most of the race before Frankie Dettori urged him for more rounding the turn. As Free Eagle challenged to his outside in the stretch, the winner suddenly veered off the rail in the final 150 yards and slammed into Free Eagle before continuing on to a one-length triumph.

 

In behind the front-runners filly Found was closing ground to the outside, and then down the center of the course. As Golden Eagle and Free Eagle made contact she dashed over to the rail and was up to take second under Seamus Heffernan, a half length in front of Free Eagle. 

 

A prolonged stewards' inquiry ensued but the results were unchanged. 

 

"Pat said that the interference completely knocked the wind out of Free Eagle and cost him the race," Weld told Racing Post. 

 

Golden Horn was timed in 2:05.41 for 1 1/4 miles on yielding turf and earned a starting berth in the Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (gr. IT) Oct. 31 at Keeneland.

 

Golden Eagle came in off his first career defeat, in which he was a neck second to Arabian Queen in the Juddmonte International (Eng-I) Aug. 19 at York. His record stands at 6-1-0 from seven career starts that include consecutive wins this season in the Fielden Stakes, Betfred Dante (Eng-II), Epsom Derby, and Coral Eclipse (Eng-I). John Gosden trains the Cape Cross colt for owner/breeder Anthony Oppenheimer.

 

Earlier in the week, the race shaped up as a mouth-watering showdown between Golden Horn and dual Guineas winner Gleneagles, but the latter bypassed the race due to less-than-ideal soft ground conditions. 

 

Golden Horn's dam Fleche d'Or, a half sister to the group I winner Rebecca Sharp.

 

Pleascach was fourth, followed by Highland Reel, The Grey Gatsby, and Cirrus des Aigles to complete the order of finish.

 

One race later on the card, 7-4 favorite Legatissimo was the clear winner of the Coolmore Fastnet Rock Matron Stakes (Ire-I), taking the event by 2 1/4 lengths from Cladocera, with Ainippe another 2 1/4 length back in third.

 

With Wayne Lordan aboard for trainer David Wachman, Legatissimo covered one mile in 1:39.95, adding a third top-level win to her record, which also includes the QIPCO One Thousand Guineas (Eng-I) in May at Newmarket and Qatar Nassau Stakes (Eng-I) in August at Goodwood last time out.

 

Legatissimo, a daughter of Danehill Dancer out of Yummy Mummy, by Montjeu, provided owner Coolmore and partners a second group I win Saturday. The connections took the Ladbrokes St. Leger (Eng-I) at Doncaster with Bondi Beach, trained by Aidan O'Brien.

 

The Matron is a Breeders' Cup Challenge "Win and You're In" race to the Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff (gr. I).