Irish Champions Festival day one preview: expect Constitution River to impress

The Aidan O’Brien-trained Wootton Bassett colt has excelled as a three-year-old.

Constitution River with trainer Aidan O'Brien pictured for Irish Champions Weekend Media Morning. Pic: Healy Racing

Sat, 12 Sep, 2026 - 07:25

Darren Norris

A year on from Delacroix bouncing back from defeat in the Juddmonte International to win the Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes, Constitution River can complete the same feat in the headline act on day one of the Irish Champions Festival.

A promising juvenile, the Aidan O’Brien-trained Wootton Bassett colt has excelled as a three-year-old, claiming Classic glory when winning the French Derby at Chantilly in May before beating his elders in the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown in July, a smooth success that stretched his winning sequence to five.

However, things went tactically awry from the start at York resulting in Constitution River doing far too much, too soon. In the circumstances, the fact he still managed to finish third, beaten under four lengths, spoke volumes about the raw talent he possesses.

Having blamed York on his failure to run a pacemaker with the class to ensure the race was run to play to Constitution River’s strengths, O’Brien has added last year’s dual Derby hero Lambourn to the line-up for this Leopardstown assignment, presumably for that specific purpose.

His presence should ensure this race is run on Constitution River’s terms this time and he can use his turn of foot to telling effect to give O’Brien a record-extending 14th victory in this contest.

Not that it will be easy, the presence of UK raiders Item and Almaqam, both of whom who finished in front of Constitution River at York, will ensure that.

Item flopped on soft ground in the Derby but boasts an otherwise flawless record and the way he got up late to thwart Almaqam by a head on the Juddmonte International win showed the son of Frankel has tenacity as well as talent.

That was his third success on the Knavesmire so he clearly loves York but this awayday promises to be a different test and he may have to settle for minor honours on this occasion.

On a cracking card, Team Ballydoyle can also land the spoils in the HKJC World Pool Golden Fleece Stakes, a race upgraded to Group 1 status this season.

Darkness Falls took a big step forward from his debut defeat to bolt up over a mile at the Curragh a fortnight ago and with the step up to nine furlongs looking likely to suit, the Camelot colt should prove hard to beat.

There is, however, each-way value elsewhere and Shakespeare and Victory Speech, both victorious last time out, may be able to hit the frame at appealing prices.

UK raider Blue Bolt can ensure Ballydoyle don’t have it all their own way on the Group 1 front by winning the Coolmore America 'Justify' Matron Stakes.

Like Item, Blue Bolt is trained by Andrew Balding and like her stablemate she boasts a superb CV.

Unbeaten in four starts this season, Blue Bolt has got the better of Precise the last twice and, home advantage aside, it’s hard to see an obvious reason why the Ballydoyle filly will turn the tables this time.

Sporting the same Juddmonte silks as Blue Bolt, but trained by Dermot Weld, Purview is hard to oppose in the Group 3 World Pool Bet With The Tote Kilternan Stakes.

The talented Kingman colt is unbeaten in three starts this season and it’ll take a seriously smart effort to lower his colours though it’ll be interesting to see how Derby third James J Braddock, gelded since disappointing in the Irish equivalent fares on his first start since.

Like the Matron Stakes, the Group 2 Tonybet Solonaway Stakes can go for export with Quddwah fancied to land the spoils for Simon and Ed Crisford.

The six-year-old hasn’t run since finishing second to Ombudsman in a Meydan Group 1 last March but that 168-day absence is of no concern given his terrific record fresh.

A mammoth nine-race card includes three handicaps with the appealing bet comes in the finale where Susie Songs, a Listed winner at Cork last time out, boasts leading claims for Ger Lyons.

LEOPARDSTOWN (Saturday)

Darren Norris

1.35 Timeless Tale

2.10 Rahmi

2.45 Darkness Falls

3.15 Purview (NB)

3.55 Blue Bolt

4.25 Quddwah

5.00 Constitution River (Nap)

5.35 Cannes

6.10 Suzie Songs

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