French Derby Hero Study of Man Set for Irish Champion

Study of Man will add considerable luster to the QIPCO Irish Champion Stakes (G1) at Leopardstown Sept. 15 after connections decided to forego home comforts in the Prix Niel (G2) in order to take on Roaring Lion, Saxon Warrior, and company. 

Study of Man will run just an hour and 10 minutes after his owner-breeder the Niarchos family send out its star miler Alpha Centauri in the Coolmore Fastnet Rock Matron Stakes (G1) on the same Leopardstown card. 

Having landed the QIPCO Prix du Jockey Club (French Derby, G1) in just his fourth start in June, Study of Man—who, like Saxon Warrior, is by Japanese stallion sensation Deep Impact—looked somewhat rusty on his return to action when he finished third in the Prix Guillaume d'Ornano Haras du Logis Saint-Germain (G2) last month.

But a specially arranged piece of work in Chantilly Sept. 5, conducted the "wrong" way around Les Aigles, has given trainer Pascal Bary and Niarchos-retained jockey Stephane Pasquier confidence that their Chantilly hero is back to his best.

Speaking from Kentucky Sept. 7, racing manager Alan Cooper said: "The news out of the gallop is very good. Pascal is delighted with Study of Man, and after discussing the options with the owners, Pascal, and Stephane yesterday evening, the plan is to go to Leopardstown.

"We got permission from France Galop to go left-handed, which is the same direction as Leopardstown, and all went very well. Stephane was very pleased with how the horse had progressed from Deauville. In hindsight, we left him a bit underdone and he really did need the race, and we're looking forward to Leopardstown."

Study of Man was a best-priced 12-1 for the Irish Champion Friday morning, while he is a 20-1 shot for the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (G1) three weeks later. 

Reflecting on the fact that Study of Man and Alpha Centauri would both appear on the same card, which kicks off the two-day Longines Irish Champions Weekend, Cooper added: "It will be very exciting, and we are very fortunate to be at that level at this moment."

Saxon Warrior was confirmed a runner Friday in the 1 1/4-mile Leopardstown event by Aidan O'Brien.

"The plan is to run Saxon Warrior in the Irish Champion once we're happy with him next week," the trainer said. "He's in good form, and all has gone well with him since his run in the Juddmonte International (G1)."

After finishing second in the Coral Eclipse (G1), the QIPCO Two Thousand Guineas (G1) winner was found to have succumbed to the bug that affected most of the Ballydoyle team, and O'Brien expects him to come on from his run at York where he finished fourth behind Roaring Lion.

O'Brien also indicated that 2016 Gold Cup (G1) winner Order of St George may have run his last race, describing the 6-year-old as "more unlikely than likely" to make the lineup for the Sept. 16 Comer Group International Irish St. Leger (G1) at the Curragh.

Order of St George, who won the Curragh classic in 2015 and 2017, has not run since finishing fourth behind Stradivarius in the Gold Cup in June.

O'Brien said: "It's more unlikely than likely that Order of St George will run at the Curragh, and if he doesn't make it, he will probably be retired. He has a lot of mileage on the clock, and we've been minding him.

"Flag of Honour and Idaho will run in the race, and we might run a few others."