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Racing News |
Tattersalls Millions Irish Champion Stakes Winner Guaranteed Place in $3 Million Breeders’ Cup Turf
03/09/09
A thrilling contest is in prospect for the Group One Tattersalls Millions Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown this Saturday, September 5, with nine horses remaining following today’s final declaration stage.
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The 10-furlong contest is part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge, an international series of 63 races whose winners earn qualifying positions into a corresponding race at the World Championships, following the payment of applicable entry fees on October 26. The Tattersalls Millions Irish Champion Stakes is one of 11 Challenge races held in Europe this year and the winner of Saturday's event is guaranteed a place in the $3 million Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Turf at Santa Anita on Saturday, November 7.
Those declared for Saturday’s race include the John Oxx-trained Sea The Stars, who is unbeaten in four Group One events this season - the stanjames.com 2000 Guineas at Newmarket, the Investec Derby at Epsom, the Coral Eclipse Stakes at Sandown and the Juddmonte International at York . The son of Cape Cross faces a formidable opponent in Fame And Glory, who chased him home at Epsom before recording a hugely-impressive five-length success in the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at the Curragh. Fame And Glory’s handler Aidan O’Brien has also declared Mastercraftsman, twice successful over a mile in Group One company this season and runner-up behind Sea The Stars at York last time, as well as Grand Ducal, Rockhampton and Set Sail.
The older generation is represented by Casual Conquest, from the Dermot Weld stable. The four-year-old has won two of his four starts this season, including an authoritative five-and-a-half length success in the Group One Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh in May.
Completing the field are the veteran campaigner Lord Admiral, who races in the colours of the late Vincent O’Brien’s widow Jacqueline and is trained by their son Charles, and Loch Long.
After the Tattersalls Millions Irish Champion Stakes, the next European races in the Breeders' Cup Challenge take place at Ascot on September 26. The three Ascot contests are the Group Two Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes (winner receives a place in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf), the Group One Meon Valley Stud Fillies’ Mile (winner receives a place in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies’ Turf) and the Group One Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, one of Europe’s premier all-aged mile contests for which the victor will be guaranteed a place in the TVG Breeders’ Cup Mile.
For the full schedule of the Breeders' Cup Challenge races, please visit http://www.breederscup.com/
About Breeders' Cup
The Breeders' Cup administers the Breeders' Cup World Championships; Thoroughbred racing's year-end Championships consisting of 14 races and $25.5 million in purses, which makes it the richest event in sports. At last year's Breeders' Cup, more than $100 million in winning wagers were returned to fans at betting locations around the globe. The Breeders' Cup also administers the Breeders' Cup Challenge qualifying series, and the Breeders' Cup Stakes Program. Breeders' Cup has offices in Lexington, Kentucky, and in New York City. Breeders' Cup press releases appear on the Breeders' Cup Web site, www.breederscup.com. You may follow the Breeders' Cup on Twitter at http://twitter.com/BreedersCup
