Almanzor - QIPCO Irish Champion Stakes (Group 1) - 2016

[@meerollll]

Probably the strongest race we've seen so far this century.

[@boogiestreet594]

The high chaparral one was also great.. Falbrav, High chap, islington, alamshar and vintage tiple

[@boogiestreet594]

no actually you're right... found... minding... harzand... highland reel..

[@terryeggett1]

Spectacular performance from the winner and supremely confident ride from Soumillon who stalked the opposition came wide and unleashed an irresistible turn of foot. Full marks to Found. She reminds me a little of Triptych, magnificent, reliable and quite capable of winning an Arc.

[@garyoptica]

Easy to say when Harzand is lame

[@Eddie36144]

Lest see what Harzand does in the Arc.

[@yooy92ify]

Harzand will do nothing

[@ElSoloJames]

it's almost as if you had a premonition, Terry!

[@terryeggett1]

Thanks James. One of my better calls:)

[@tonymahon5025]

The best ten Furlong race of the last twenty years without a doubt.

[@terryeggett1]

Soumillon flying past Kirby..like a Peugeot leaving a Cortina in its wake!

[@philboardman5765]

very impressive, he left some classy group 1 winners behind him

[@uhegbu]

Victory for France. This was probably the strongest race of the season. The Aidan O'Brien star horses of Found and Minding filling the top three finishes. Harzand was nowhere so was the King George winner from Ascot, Highland Reel. A thrilling finish. There have been plenty down the years.

[@GBeret83]

Even though Postponed wasn't in the field, top to bottom I thought this was a deeper field than the one that assembled at York last month for the G1 Juddmonte International Stakes. Having to face a field this loaded coming off a layoff probably didn't help Harzand's chances a whole lot, but I personally think 2000 meters may be on the sharp side for him anyway. I think Harzand and Highland Reel both are much better horses when they're racing over 2400 meters, IMO.

[@uhegbu]

What about Order Of St George's shock defeat in the Irish St Leger by Willie Mullins' Wicklow Brave and Aidan's son Joseph scored a first Group 1 with Intricately in a thrilling Moyglare Stud Stakes. Churchill won Ireland's equivalent of Newmarket's Dewhurst Stakes.

[@sameerarin5589]

uhegbu yudkf

[@deanmcdonald3394]

Serious champions stakes

[@jackkelsey9326]

The leaders through the first half of the race finished towards the rear, whilst those that played their hand late mopped up. If I was already involved with Harzand for the Arc this result wouldn't worry me too much.

[@terryeggett1]

I think your comment makes a good deal of sense. A lot of this field had far too much use made of them in the first part part of the race and there was quite a lot of early scrimmaging. ( particularly Harzand and Hawksbill) Very impressed with the winner though!

[@keybuckley]

fecking magic. Almanzor what a horse!

[@jjmm99]

So why did the Grey Gatsby Scratch? Anyone know...

[@GBeret83]

My guess would be because the ground at Leopardstown was rated as yielding that day, and Gatsby likes the ground a lot quicker. Good/Good to Firm.

[@antonyquigley5219]

Because the horse is awful!

[@anatchuv]

It's easy to envisage the Arc winner not coming out of this race. The winner won't run in it and the top 2 in the Arc betting didn't go. I'm happy to say I've been putting a bit of any profit on La Cressonniere since the Prix de Diane.Just read that My Dream Boat's sire is Lord Shanakill out of a Choisir mare. If you visit the Irish National Stud you'll fall in love with the Lord. Sentiment will make me back him in English Champion, but on soft ground, at Ascot, he should not be discounted. A well beaten 5th here.

[@samsonpug]

I think my ante post bet on postponed winning the Arc looks fragile. Almanzor looks fantastic. I will be having a saver it.

[@emadalyahmed]

It's not hard to envisage the Arc winner coming out of this race.

[@GBeret83]

Not only did the Arc winner come out of this race, so did the Arc runner-up who followed that up with a Breeders Cup Turf win.

[@lilyby1203]

Harzand didn't like the drop back in distance, but I'm happy that Minding beat MOST of the colts.

[@scouserdan3]

Minding for the arc??

[@lilyby1203]

+scouserdan3 Perhaps. She looked a bit off today, but apparently the vets checked out Harzand and there was something wrong with him, but she can still beat some good colts like Highland Reel, Sir Isaac Newton and Hawkbill.

[@GBeret83]

She beat them all but one, the winner Almanzor. I actually sort of envisioned Minding being in Found's position in this race fighting for the win, but hats off to Found, because save her win over Golden Horn in the BC Turf, this may have been as good of a race as she's ever run. Even in defeat, IMO.

[@MrGezz66]

Not sure the colts are a great bunch this year. Also wonder if it was advantageous to come down the outside as well, since Alice Springs had a similarly impressive looking finish.

[@lilyby1203]

I completely agree. From what I've seen of Found this season, she hasn't done amazingly, but she ran a blinder and did well in deafeat. Also Minding did spectacularly in her first time against the colts. Harzand was struck into during the race, but wasn't helped by the pace at all.

[@deankenny8627]

Won't get near postponed

[@TonyMahon-y6p]

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@paradoxicus]

Victoria para España.Su propietario Antonio Caro podría traerlo a España,parra mejorar la depauperada cría nacional.

[@catfamily911]

I need to improve my english. Someone wants to talk to me?

[@MrSmid888]

Harzand wasn't fit and Pats comments backed that up.The winner is classy.

[@garyoptica]

Give over Harzand would whoop its B if it were fit..

[@MrSmid888]

Harzand returned home bruised and lame.Got knocked mid race.As I thought wasn't fit was running injured.

[@MrSmid888]

Who said it would whoop its butt?Certainly wasnt me.

[@RedHoodie1]

Almanzor was shit hot!!

[@rodneymckee8431]

Only sea the stars performance tops that performance

[@aeglaecaaglaeca5775]

Poor ride on Harzand, was rushed up at the start, then was dropped back nearly 6L, then pulled of the rails to go round horses, was running on when the door was shut, lack of fitness meant he was not doing anything fast, think you can put a line through his running, lets hope the true Harzand turns up on Ark day.

[@coinsec]

Winx would take care of all these horses

[@eoinclarke5674]

Shut up

[@MrGezz66]

Agreed. On a WFA scale, she's the best in the world. Hoping to see her run at Caulfield on 8 Oct.

[@MegaRangers22]

I was really disappointed in found I think found should be retired because the horse sucks plus ryan more is a cap jockey and should be.fired from that team

[@nedlambton6602]

A little harsh.

[@robertdelacy3434]

You really dont have a clue about racing

[@slayergaming2294]

Winx wouldn't get into the 1st three

[@bgardiner3354]

That's a big call given the way she won the Cox Plate this year. Almanzoor would need to run right up to this to be competitive. And it would need to be in the UK as he'd have no hope on a fast Australian track.

[@gocemilevski8968]

robbie osullivan

[@gocemilevski8968]

robbie osullivan yeah cool story winx would throw almanzor a croissant when she goes straight past him