Stephen Connolly

THE Irish Champions Festival was held across two courses—Leopardstown and The Curragh—over the weekend of September 12 and 13, and Saturday’s big race at Leopardstown, the Group One Champion Stakes, was won by the 50/1 outsider of the eight runner field.

CLASSIC season continued apace since the last column, with some of the most prestigious races in the calendar taking place in Ireland, England and France over the last four weeks.

IN THE world of flat racing, the month of May traditionally heralds the beginning of the season’s Classic races, a collection of Group 1 events seen as the most prestigious in the calendar.