Hotazhell a 50-1 winner of Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown

Shane Foley (pink silks) onboard Hotazhell comes home to win. Pic: ©INPHO/Tom Maher.

Hotazhell ran out a shock 50-1 winner of the Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes, the headline act on day one of the Irish Champions Festival, the Jessica Harrington-trained Too Dart Hot colt getting the better of fellow outsider Wimbledon Hawkeye by a nose in a thrilling finish.

Billed as a rematch of the Juddmonte International Stakes, the Aidan O’Brien-trained Constitution River was sent off the 11-8 favourite to turn the tables on York one-two Item and Almaqam.

With Lambourn dictating matters from the front, all appeared to be going to plan but, having got to the front a furlong out, Constitution River couldn’t fend off Hotazhell and Wimbledon Hawkeye and faded to finish third.

While largely dismissed in the market, Hotazhell came here on the back of a similarly gutsy Group 1 success in Germany, a race in which Wimbledon Hawkeye finished a close third.

For that reason, Harrington felt the price was an insult to her horse.

“I didn’t think he deserved to be 50-1, he had won a Group 1 in Germany last time and came here in good form,” she said.

“If you look up all his form last year on ground that was always too quick for him, he kept on trying. He got his conditions today and he went and did it.

“Shane [Foley, jockey] is very strong, but the horse is very tough. He knows where the winning post is and he put his head down on the line.”

Asked where this achievement ranked among her many in a glittering career over jumps and on the Flat, Harrington said: “It would have to be right up at the top.”

Asked if she still gets the same kick out of winners, the veteran trainer replied: “Jeepers yes. They’re hard to come by so when you get them enjoy them. Though it’s very bad for the nerves when he only wins by a nose!”

Harrington’s relentless ambition was further evidenced by her emphatic response when it was put to her that she has won just about every big prize there is to win.

“I haven’t won everything, there’s plenty more to win but it’s fantastic to get this on the CV. He’s in the British Champions Stakes and that’s probably where he’ll go.” Seeing Hotazhell vindicate the faith she has always had in him made this an especially sweet success.

“We’ve always thought the world of him, last year was just one of those years, he should have won in America, he got a bad run around in the race, things just didn’t go right for him. And even at the beginning of this year, he took a while to get going.” He’s certainly going now and nobody will be underestimating him when he rocks up at Ascot.

Earlier in the card, Blue Bolt continued her flawless four-year-campaign with imperious display in the Group 1 Coolmore America 'Justify' Matron Stakes.

The Andrew Balding-trained Blue Point filly made the journey to Ireland on the back of top-level successes at Newmarket and, more recently, Deauville and had little trouble completing the hat-trick under Colin Keane who was enjoying a 32nd birthday to remember having earlier won the Ballylinch Stud Irish EBF Ingabelle Stakes on board the Ger Lyons-trained Maire Rua.

“She was tough to train at two, we didn’t even get her on a racecourse,” Balding said. “We started by getting beaten at odds-on in Southwell but she hasn’t looked back since then. She’s pretty special, she’s just got better and better and she's a beautiful physical to look at as well. She really is a lovely filly.” Sporting the same Juddmonte silks as Blue Bolt, Purview was sent off the 6-5 favourite for the Group 3 World Pool Bet With The Tote Kilternan Stakes but the Dermot Weld-trained Kingman colt had to settle for third behind all-the-way winner Arabian Crown and Sons And Lovers.

Trained by Charlie Appleby, 11-1 shot Arabian Crown travelled sweetly in the hands of James Doyle and the Dubawi gelding ran out an impressive winner, scoring by two and a quarter lengths.

Paying tribute to Doyle, Appleby said: “James is a world-class jockey and he knows what fractions he was doing.

“All I was thinking to myself was ‘I wonder when he's going to get a breather in' because I don't really know the track very well, thankfully he does.

“He did have a bit to find but he just got a great ride. When you get the fractions right on the front end, with a horse that has half an engine, you have a great chance.” Doyle doubled up when UK raider Quddwah ran out a ready winner of the Tonybet Solonaway Stakes.

The Simon and Ed Crisford-trained six-year-old hadn’t run for 168 days ahead of this Group 2 assignment but his terrific record off a layoff meant he was sent off an even-money favourite and he duly delivered.

Ed Crisford said: “He had a busy season in Dubai and they can’t go all year so we wanted to give him a summer break and then the ground was obviously rattling quick. Really this was the first proper opportunity for him and he fitted into it really well with no penalties from his Group 2 wins in Dubai.

“He’s a really solid horse and he finished the race really well and that should put him spot-on for a good autumn. He’s an old boy now but he still loves the game.”