Trained by Aidan O’Brien, the Ascot Gold Cup and previous Betfred St Leger winner, led home a Ballydoyle-trained Coolmore-owned trifecta.

Queenstown (20/1) and Wayne Lordan were second to the Ryan Moore-ridden winner, while Jan Brueghel (6/1) was third in the hands of Ronan Whelan.

Scandinavia, a son of Justify, is still only a four-hear-old and now has nine successes to his name and has won over €2 million in prize money.

Aidan O’Brien hinted after the race that this may be the colt last run of the season and that that he would have the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot as his main target next year.

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The Al Shira’aa Racing-owned two-year-old colt gave Joseph O’Brien another Group 1 victory this weekend following his win in the Betfred St Leger at Doncaster yesterday.

Incredibly it was a third O’Brien Group 1 success on the card at The Curragh today, as his father Aidan and his younger brother, Donnacha, had already won the Moyglare Stud Stakes and Bar 1 Betting Flying Five Stakes respectively.

Folsom Blues had finished second to Sun Goddess at The Curragh last month was winning at the highest level for the first time.

Sun Goddess had won the earlier Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes under Ryan Moore.

Monogram (9/4 favourite) and Colin Keane were second, also for Joseph O’Brien, while Florida Bay (12/1) and Ronan Whelan finished third.

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Bred by Aidan and Annmarie O’Brien’s Whisperview Trading and trained by their son Donnacha, the five-year-old son of Wootton Bassett is now a six-time winner.

The British raider, American Affair (8/1), took second for Danny Tudhope and Jim Goldie, while another cross-channel raider, Rumstar (10/1) third for jockey Rob Hornby, who flew from Woodbine in Canada overnight to ride at The Curragh today.

The winning handler, Donnacha O’Brien, nominated the Breeders’ Cup as an end of season target for his star sprinter.

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In the colours of the Coolmore partners, the daughter of Justify was winning for a fifth times from seven career starts.

Trained at Ballydoyle by Aidan O’Brien, and ridden by Ryan Moore, the two-year-old out of the Starspangledbanner daughter Etoile Bleu ran out an easy six-and-a-half length winner over Green Express (3/1) and Colin Keane.

Dancing Destiny (14/1), like the runner-up, trained by Joseph O’Brien, finished third one-and-three-quarter lengths furthar back, under jockey Declan McDonagh.

“She looks a freak.”

Aidan O’Brien offers a succinct analysis of Sun Goddess following her jaw-dropping success in the Moyglare …

Could she return to action in two weeks’ time? pic.twitter.com/MQ5oXFZsNE

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) September 13, 2026

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Nine nations took to the International Ring to challenge the 1.60m track designed by FEI Course Designer Leopoldo Palacios (VEN).

All nine teams participated in the opening round before the field was narrowed to the top six teams based on their combined scores.

Round One

Daniel Coyle and Farrel were the pathfinders for Jessica Kurten’s team. The Derry rider and the 16-year-old gelding completed the course in a time of 69.38 seconds, but with four faults.

His brother, Jordan, was next into the arena, with Cordiamo. The combination had an uncharacteristic total of 16 faults, which became the Irish discard score in round one.

Conor Swail and Clonterm Obolensky had four faults, stopping the clock in 71.73 seconds.

Ireland’s only clear of the opening round was delivered by the anchor combination of Tipperary’s Denis Lynch and Vistogrand. This left the team with a total of 8 faults at the conclusion of the first round.

Round Two

Ireland, Britain, Germany, Belgium, the United States and France all produced scores needed to advance to the second round, setting the stage for a thrilling finish.

With the scores tightly packed at the top, Germany, Ireland and defending champions Great Britain entered the second round separated by only a narrow margin.

The powerful Germany lineup featured three members of the team that claimed victory at the World Equestrian Games in Aachen in August: Daniel Deusser, Sophie Hinners and Jörne Sprehe. The three all delivered faultless performances in the second round.

Only three of the Irish combinations took to the International Ring for the final round.

Daniel Coyle and Farrel improved on their opening effort as they went clear in 68.30 seconds.

Jordan Coyle and Cordiamo also improved on their first round score, this time having two rails down in a time of 71.42 seconds.

Conor Swail and Clonterm Obolensky were next to go for Ireland, and the combination went clear, only to have one time fault.

Ireland’s anchor combination of Denis Lynch and Vistogrand withdrew as their efforts would not have made any different to the result.

Germany took the title of a two-round score of 4 faults, with Ireland second on 17 faults. Belgium finished in third on 21 faults, ahead of the defending champions, Britain, in fourth place with 26 faults.

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Trained in Moone by Jessica Harrington, the four-year-old son of Too Darn Hot, was a recent winner at the highest level in Germany when winning over 1m 2f at Munich on 26 July.

For jockey Shane Foley, this afternoon’s win was the biggest of his career to date, as the Silverton Hill Partnership-owned bay colt held off the late challenge of the supplemented Deauville Group 3 winner Wimbledon Hawkeye (33/1) by a nose.

𝐇𝐨𝐭𝐚𝐳𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐥 (50/1) causes a HUGE shock by edging out Wimbledon Hawkeye in the Irish Champion Stakes!

The big guns have been spiked!@Jessica_Racing | @BahrainTurfClub | @WorldPool pic.twitter.com/cTaLqmBitW

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) September 12, 2026

The Christophe Soumillon-ridden George Scott-handled runner-up was three-quarters-of-a-length ahead of the race favourite Constitution River (11/8 favourite) in the hands of Ryan Moore.

Almaqam (9/2), who finished ahead of the Aidan O’Brien-trained Constitution River in the Group 1 Juddmonte International at York last month, was fourth to cross the winning line, one-and-a-quarter lengths further back.

The win was a 16th Group 1 success for veteran trainer Jessica Harrington, who stated post-race:

“We have always believed in this horse. It is so fantastic to win this. He is in the Champion Stakes at Ascot in October and we will probably go there next.”

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The Juddmonte Farms-owned Andrew Balding-trained filly was completing a Group 1 treble, having previously won at the highest level in England and in France.

There is NO STOPPING her

𝐁𝐥𝐮𝐞 𝐁𝐨𝐥𝐭 makes it five in a row with a demolition job in the G1 Matron Stakes.@AndrewBalding2 | @ctkjockey | @JuddmonteFarms pic.twitter.com/qJbOZ62Xpp

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) September 12, 2026

The winning handler, Andrew Balding, said of his now three-time Group 1 winning filly:

“She was always travelling well, always in the right place. I loved the way she picked up and hit the line. I am very proud of her. I don’t know where we will go with her next. She has a ‘Win and You’re In’ for the Breeders’ Cup and that will be one of the options. We will just enjoy today and think about that tomorrow!”

Ridden by Colin Keane, the four-year-old daughter of Blue Point was the second part of an Irish Champions Festival double for both the owners and the rider, who had earlier taken the opening Ballylinch Stud Irish EBF Ingabelle Stakes with the Ger Lyons-prepared Máire Rua.

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Trained by Aidan O’Brien, the juvenile son of Camelot, ran out a ready winner in the hands of Ryan Moore, taking the contest by four-and-a-half lengths.

”Darkness Falls has swept by them.”

Strong in the market beforehand, the favourite lands the now Group 1 Golden Fleece Stakes with something to spare.@HKJC_Racing | @WorldPool | @Ballydoyle pic.twitter.com/xqt8pp6Y6d

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) September 12, 2026

Second was 12/1 shot Jesus Green for Joseph O’Brien and Colin Keane, while English challenger Quest For Stars (15/2) for James Doyle and Charlie Appleby.

Darkness Falls, who was an easy Curragh maiden winner last time out, has now been installed as favourite for the Betfred Derby 2027 at Epsom following today’s success.

Winning trainer Aidan O’Brien said:

“He was very impressive at the Curragh the last day. Ryan said he will get a mile and a quarter next year. The trip will be no problem. He has a lot of class. It was a proper gallop and there was no hiding place. He can go anywhere. He is not going to need soft ground. He is a Camelot who is going to be a Guineas horse plus and that’s the way his Dad was.”

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The Juddmonte Farms-owned previous course and distance winner Máire Rua (5/2) won the opening Ballylinch Stud Irish EBF Ingabelle Stakes (Listed) for two-year-old fillies under jockey Colin Keane.

The grey daughter of Frankel came on the outside of the 11-runner field to claim victory by a half-length from the favourite Timeless Tale (2/1), with the Aidan O’Brien-trained pair, Snowing (11/1) and Ibelieveicanfly (3/1) third and fourth respectively.

Birthday boy @ctkjockey gets his day off to a flyer!

Grey Frankel filly Maire Rua comes home best to land the Ingabelle Stakes for the Ger Lyons team. @BallylinchStud | @IrishEBF_ | @JuddmonteFarms pic.twitter.com/NtSW3Qtu5D

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) September 12, 2026

Ger Lyons said of his first race winner:

“She is nice filly going forward. She was out quick and I got onto the tail of Billy [Lee on Timeless Tale]. She picked up well in the straight and she will have no problem going a mile. She needs racing and needs to learn more.”

Lyons took the second race on the card with the success of Krasimir (15/2) and Reece Holohan in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Sovereign Path (Premier Handicap).

The Tally-Ho Stud-bred bay gelded son of Mehmas won by a head from the English-trained Vafortina (7/1), with the Johnny Murtagh-handled Sindagan (12/1), arguable the unlucky runner in the race. coming home in third, three-quarters of one length behind the runner-up.

It’s Ger Lyons again! @LeopardstownRC | @IrishEBF_ pic.twitter.com/8NVAwcFv64

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) September 12, 2026

Two English Winners

British handlers completed a Group double on day one of Irish Champions Festival. Arabian Crown (11/), supplemented for the Group 3 World Pool Bet With The Tote Kilternan Stakes, while the Simon & Ed Crisford favourite Quddwah (evens favourite) won the Group 2 Tonybet Solonaway Stakes.

A front-running masterclass @godolphin runner Arabian Crown leads his rivals a merry dance under the perfect front-running ride from @the_doyler in the G3 Kilternan Stakes.@HKJC_Racing | @WorldPool pic.twitter.com/s71NtSGWfv

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) September 12, 2026

Murphy and McCreer take Premier Handicaps

Tipperary handler Joe Murphy took a Premier Handicap when Immutable (25/1), under Luke McAteer, won the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Pettingo Handicap.

The six-year-old bay gelding had a neck to spare over the Joseph O’Brien-trained Yousaynothingatall (6/1) and Oisín Murphy, with Willie Mullins’ Too Bossy For Us (11/1) next home in the hands of Ben Coen.

The final race, the World Pool Bet With Tote Autumn Fillies Handicap (Premier Handicap), went to Ben Coen and Willie McCreery, as Rebel Wave (7/1) got the better of Chica Guerra (18/1) and Killashee Warrior (8/1) by a half-length and a short-head respectively.

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Saturday’s bumper 9-race card at the South County Dublin venue includes three Group 1 races, with the highlight, the Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes, the weekend’s feature, going to post at 5.00pm. The three Group 1s are backed up by a Group 2, a Group 3 and a Listed race, while there are also three Premier Handicaps down for decision.

The Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes is usually one of the season’s highlights. The 1m 2 furlong contest for three-year-olds and upwards has seen Aidan O’Brien win six of the last seven editions of the race, with Delacroix (2025), Auguste Rodin (2023), Luxembourg (2022), St Mark’s Basilica (2021), Magical (2019 & 2020).

First three in Juddmonte International re-oppose

On Saturday, the Ballydoyle handler’s main hope will be the Coral-Eclipse winner at Sandown, Constitution River – beaten on his last outing in the Juddmonte International at York last month.

Item, the winner of the Juddmonte International, and Almaqam, the runner-up, will represent Andrew Balding and Ed Walker respectively. There was only a head between the two English-trained runners at York last time, with three lengths back to Constitution River – though Aidan O’Brien did later blame poor race tactics for the defeat of the son of Wootton Bassett.

The 2025 Betfred Derby and Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby winner, Lambourn, has also been declared by the Coolmore partners, as has Hawk Mountain, with both likely to set the pace at different stages of the race.

Jessica Harrington’s recent German Group 1 winner Hotazhell is also among the field, as is A Boy Names Susie, who finished behind Constitution River in both the Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly, and the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown.

Interestingly, English handler George Scott supplemented his Deauville Group 3 winner Wimbledon Hawkeye at a cost of €75,000, and will be hoping to get some return for the outlay.

Coolmore America ‘Justify’ Matron Stakes

The Group 1 Coolmore America ‘Justify’ Matron Stakes at 3.55pm is for fillies and mares over a mile. Eight different trainers have won this prize since 2018, and twice it has gone for export – to Karl Burke – with Fallen Angel last season, and Laurens in 2018. Both Donnacha O’Brien (2024, Porta Fortuna) and his brother Joseph (2019, Iridessa) have claimed this contest in recent years, though their father, Aidan, hasn’t won since Hydrangea in 2017.

The race has been good for favourites in recent times, with the past three winning, namely Fallen Angel (9/4), Porta Fortuna (5/4) and Tahiyra (5/6).

English trainers hold strong hand in Matron Stakes

English trainers, Andrew Balding and Karl Burke, hold a strong hand in this year’s renewal. Balding’s Blue Bolt goes in search of a third Group 1, and has had the upper hand this season on four-time Group 1 winner Precise, who re-opposes on Saturday.

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