Don’t leave Cirrus Des Aigles out of Champion calculations

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

The second edition of the freshly minted ‘Champions’ Weekend’ kicks off at Leopardstown this evening, continues to the Curragh on Sunday and promises many succulent treats for drama hungry racegoers, including the ‘Fastnet Rock’ Matron Stakes later today.

The inaugural meeting last year was an unqualified success for HRI’s far-sighted and innovative strategists, attracting almost 25,000 paying customers to the racing itself and hundreds more to a host of supplemental activities such as parade ring sales, stable visits and the usual plethora of cultural and social events.