Irish Champions Weekend eye-catchers: "he needs two miles"

The opening handicap of the meeting at Leopardstown saw a bunch finish and it may be dangerous to overlook some of those further down the field on their next start, none more so than Excellent Believe who ran a fine race in seventh on his debut for Stephen Thorne.

Speaking to Donn McClean last week, his new trainer said his work has been “solid” and highlighted the fact he was 9lb below the mark he began the season on.

Settled further back than ideal over seven furlongs, the former Jack Channon-trained gelding picked up well for Oisin Murphy in the straight until encountering some traffic problems in the final furlong, where he was nudged out to finish just two and a quarter lengths behind the winner.

He showed more than enough to suggest this mark is a winnable one, and he is ground versatile and stays a mile – he will be of interest wherever he lines up next.

Sent off the 6-5 favourite for this open age Group Three over a mile and a half, Purview was ridden confidently by Colin Keane towards the rear, but Arabian Crown, who has plenty of very good at this sort of level and was second to Rebel’s Romance in the Princess of Wales’s Stakes when last seen, made all to win by over two lengths.

Dermot Weld’s colt was conceding 3lb to the winner and still emerges from this race with plenty of credit, but it was a case of being given too much to do. His time over the final three furlongs was the fastest in the race, and it may be that he also takes a step forward after what was his first run since June.

Behind the impressive winner Blue Bolt, Karl Burke’s grey mare caught the eye in third, posting her best effort of the season on ground still slightly quicker than ideal.

At one stage, it looked as if Fallen Angel would be well beaten, with James Doyle getting serious in the saddle earlier than expected, but she stuck to her task well and rallied close home to place in the race she won 12 months ago.

Given her liking for softer ground and the fact her CV tells us she improves with racing each season, it is still not a foregone hope that she can successfully defend her Sun Chariot crown next month.

Advised at 16-1 for that race ante-post, she is currently available at 9-1 with bet365, but much will depend on whether winner Blue Bolt re-opposes. The Prix de l’Opera also makes appeal over further, for which the five-time Group One winner still has an entry.

I’m not going to give up on this son of Sea The Stars just yet. Well supported when disappointing as the market leader in the King George V Stakes at Royal Ascot, he had since placed at Glorious Goodwood, plus at Leopardstown last month.

The form of that last race was boosted exactly two hours before his race at the same track on Saturday, as winner Highwayman landed the St Leger in impressive fashion.

Beaten just over two lengths by the winner, he looked done for speed over this slightly shorter trip of 1m5f, with the slow pace not playing to his strengths. It may be that he needs two miles or further, and he has an entry in the Irish Cesarewitch in two weeks’ time.

The big sprint race on Sunday was won impressively by Comanche Brave, who came from an unpromising position to win under Billy Loughnane. He wouldn’t have won in any case, but one who was not so lucky to find the gaps was the veteran Big Gossey.

The Curragh specialist, who is usually seen over further, was not the quickest away and was playing catch-up thereafter, but he looked to be travelling well entering the closing stages, where he was repeatedly denied a clear run.

This is not the first time the popular grey has been unlucky in a Group race at this track but this was still a really encouraging effort after two below-par runs in August, proving there is still plenty of life in the nine-year-old. He is capable of winning more races here in either handicaps or Group races between six furlongs and a mile.

The final race of the meeting, a premier handicap over a mile and a quarter, was another to have been won by a horse coming home late, as the outsider Orandi flew home down the centre of the track to win going away.

In behind, and despite the field spreading across the track, David Marnane's Manton Bay had nowhere to go and did well to finish just three lengths back in fifth.

Second in the Irish Cambridgeshire over a mile at the track two weeks ago, this was a strongly-run race and though it is very hard to say he didn’t stay, a drop back a furlong or two in trip may help him get back in the winners’ enclosure. He has had a busy campaign but has been steadily progressive and is one to keep on side.