3 minute read
Racing and Sports preview the 2021 Irish Champion Stakes from Leopardstown.
A field of just four go to post for the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown on Saturday; disappointing in numbers but making up for it somewhat in quality.
Among those four are three of the top handful of horses on the planet. St Mark's Basilica, winner of his last four at Group One level, heads the betting with Tarnawa, winner of eight of her last ten, all at Group level and including Group Ones in France and America, and Poetic Flare, the 2000 Guineas winner from Newmarket who put up the win of the week at Royal Ascot in the St James' Palace Stakes.
The fourth runner, Patrick Sarsfield, also ran at Ascot but he was beaten there in a listed contest and would seem to be punching out of his weight division here. He does have an important role to play, however, with the lead likely his for the taking.
Tactics look all important. Poetic Flare will likely press up and leave Tarnawa and St Mark's Basilica as the stalkers.
Based on the acceleration he showed to win an Eclipse that was similarly select and tactical, St Mark's Basilica would seem to hold some aces.
Poetic Flare may just keep things cute over further than he has tried before and the stalk-and-pounce job St Mark produced at Sandown was from the top shelf. That scenario puts things hugely in his favour, with Tarnawa more likely to want a truer test at this trip, and given that St Mark's Basilica deserves to be marked favourite.
Alas, that is exactly how he is marked up in the early betting, which seems to have things priced about right, and so, for all that this will be a spectacle, betting angles are light on.
For a betting angle we can look back to the Matron Stakes where the 1000 Guineas winner Mother Earth heads things up in the betting and the formbook.
She's been really reliable all season and is a worthy favourite with the race wide open away from her.
Epona Plays and Pearls Galore have been good winning Group races and last year's winner Champers Elysees, who has struggled to recapture that form since, looked to be getting back to something like her best last time.
But it is the one that knocked Champers Elysess off last time that is overpriced in the view of the Racing and Sports Pricing Model. 10/1 Acanella appeals as a good gamble after she looked to turned a corner last time, running a good overall time in seeing off Champers Elysees, and she must have a good hope of going on again for strong connections.
Recommended bets: Back Acanella in the Matron Stakes.
