It was billed as a potential classic and Saturday’s Qipco Champions Stakes certainly lived up to the hype. Before, during and after.

Fastnet Rock, West Cork’s emblematic lighthouse, casts a little of its long thin shadow over Ireland’s finest flat racing extravaganza this weekend.

I doubt that Dermot Weld engaged in anything even remotely approaching a Clive Brittain-like jig, but he must have at least allowed himself a wry smile!

Today’s QIPCO Champion Stakes at Leopardstown has the potential to be as good a flat race as we’ve seen in this country for many a year and, in what should be a tight affair, Golden Horn is narrowly preferred to Free Eagle and Gleneagles.

Golden Horn and Gleneagles head a star field of eight horses declared for the Qipco Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown tomorrow, a race that will have an earlier start time due to weather concerns.

Golden Horn is likely to be long odds-on for the Coral-Eclipse Stakes at Sandown on Saturday after just five horses were left in the mile-and-a-quarter showpiece at the five-day stage.

The Juddmonte International and the Irish Champion Stakes are the next races being considered for Royal Ascot hero Free Eagle.

You’d imagine that just about anything is now possible as far as Dermot Weld’s Free Eagle is concerned for the rest of the season.

Dermot Weld has had winners in big races all over the world, from America to Australia and from Cheltenham to Galway, but few have given him greater pleasure than guiding Free Eagle to victory in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot yesterday.

Night Of Thunder may have done little to boost the Lockinge form in yesterday’s Queen Anne Stakes, but that’s no reason to doubt Integral’s claims in today’s Duke of Cambridge Stakes, at Royal Ascot.

Pat Smullen could not be happier with Free Eagle ahead of today’s Prince of Wales’s Stakes despite it being his first outing of the year.

Godolphin have snapped up Irish 1,000 Guineas winner Pleascach and she will carry their colours when she runs in the Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot next week.

Ken Condon’s stable star Success Days faces a spell on the sidelines after X-rays revealed he suffered a stress fracture in the Ivestec Derby.

Free Eagle is scheduled for a workout before Dermot Weld formulates plans for the exciting four-year-old’s return to the track.

Could the unthinkable actually happen?

Cirrus Des Aigles is unlikely to defend his crown in the Investec Coronation Cup at Epsom after breaking a shoe at Longchamp on Sunday.

Free Eagle is set to make his seasonal bow in the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh on May 24.

Trainer Corine Barande-Barbe is taking nothing for granted as her French superstar Cirrus Des Aigles bids to regain his crown in the Qipco Champion Stakes at Ascot today.

Cirrus Des Aigles (13/8) and FreeEagle (3/1) and now head the market with Paddy Power for Saturday’s Qipco Champion Stakes at Ascot following the defection of Australia and the news that The Grey Gatsby won’t run despite being left in the race but will stay in training next year.

Aidan O’Brien has hailed Australia as "unique" following the announcement that the three-year-old has been retired to stand at Coolmore stud.

Dual Derby winner Australia has been retired to stud, said a Coolmore representative.

Dermot Weld’s hugely exciting colt Free Eagle remains on target for the Qipco Champion Stakes at Ascot later this month.

There is no doubt that the inaugural Champions’ Weekend was a success and HRI, Leopardstown and the Curragh can be well pleased with their collective efforts.

Derby winner Australia, Leading Light, The Grey Gatsby, Gleneagles, Tapestry and Chicquitaheads a star-studded list of entries for the inaugural Irish Champions Weekend at Leopardstown on Saturday and the Curragh on Sunday.

If watching the Aidan O’Brien horses gallop after racing at the Curragh on Sunday, and took what was on offer at face value, then there is no way you would want to be with Australia this season.

Trainer Jim Bolger reports Dawn Approach on course for a return to action in time for the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot in October.

Next year’s Investec Derby favourite Free Eagle could make his next appearance a week on Saturday in the ICON Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Trial Stakes at Leopardstown.

Gordon Lord Byron took full advantage of the absence of Darwin to win the Desmond Stakes at Leopardstown last night.