Irish Champions Weekend: essential information for the premier two-day festival

Longines Irish Champions Weekend is a two-day meeting which attracts some of Europe's leading Flat performers in early September, with the first concept introduced in 2014.

There are eight races at Leopardstown on Saturday, highlighted by the Group 1 Irish Champion Stakes, while the Curragh stages an eight-race card on Sunday, featuring four Group 1s.

The €100,000 Ballylinch Stud Irish EBF Ingabelle Stakes starts the two-day bonanza at 2pm on Saturday, with the €125,000 Irish Stallion Farms EBF 'Northfields' Handicap bringing the curtain down on the weekend at 5.50pm on Sunday.

Magical: landed last year's Qipco Irish Champion Stakes and is set for a repeat bid this weekendCredit: Patrick McCann

All of the quality action will be aired on Racing TV, while ITV will show the Irish Champion Stakes on its main channel at 4.10pm on Saturday. The coverage of Sunday's action will continue on ITV3, with five races from the Curragh.

Irish terrestrial viewers can follow the action on RTE 1 from 3pm to 5.45pm on Saturday, while RTE 2 will show Sunday's action from 3pm-5pm.

You can also stream and bet on races at the festival on the Racing Post website and mobile app.

Why is Irish Champions Weekend so special?

The valuable two-day festival, worth €3.6 million in total this year, sees champions crowned in each division, from two-year-old fillies and colts, to star sprinters and stayers – this is the pinnacle of the season in Ireland.

Top Irish trainers and jockeys compete over the weekend, with Aidan O'Brien generally sending his strongest squad to Leopardstown and the Curragh to contest the six Group 1 races.

Love: star filly won her first Group 1 in last year's Moyglare Stud Stakes at the CurraghCredit: Patrick McCann

Future stars can also announce their arrival as leading Classic contenders at the meeting too, with leading Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe contender Love landing her first win at the highest level in last year's Moyglare Stud Stakes at the Curragh.

What are the feature races?

There is no shortage of quality over the two days but the six Group 1 races are the standout events, with the Irish Champion Stakes and Irish St Leger the overall highlights.

The Irish Champion Stakes has been won by brilliant performers such as Sadler's Wells, Giant's Causeway and Sea The Stars, and has also produced some of the most memorable finishes of recent times, including Fantastic Light's tremendous battle with Galileo in 2001.

Sunday's Comer Group International Irish St. Leger at the Curragh is the final Classic race of the Irish season and boasts a rich history, with the likes of Vintage Crop, Vinnie Roe and Yeats having landed the race worth €400,000 this year.

What are the other highlights?

The Group 1 Coolmore America 'Justify' Matron Stakes is the second biggest race on the opening day, with last year's winner Iridessa going on to land the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Santa Anita.

Iridessa: brilliant filly won last year's Coolmore Matron Stakes before going on to score at the Breeders' Cup at Santa AnitaCredit: Patrick McCann

Saturday's card also features a pair of generally informative and high-class Group 2 events, the KPMG Champions Juvenile Stakes, which was won last year by Mogul, and the Clipper Logistics Boomerang Mile, which has gone the way of British trainers for four of the last six years.

The Group 1 Derrinstown Stud Flying Five Stakes is set to see prolific sprinting star Make A Challenge bid for a first win at the highest level this Sunday at the Curragh, while the Moyglare Stud Stakes and Goffs Vincent O'Brien National Stakes should unearth another star juvenile or two.

Who should I bet on at Longines Irish Champions Weekend?

Have a look at the cards and check out our free bet offers to start with, then stay tuned to the Racing Post website, mobile app and newspaper for our expert betting advice and all the latest news in the run-up to the big weekend.

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