It’s Irish Champions weekend at the Curragh and Leopardstown on Saturday and Sunday. With one of the big races over the two days the Irish Champion Stakes, where all eyes will be on Delacroix to get back to winning ways.
You can see the eight confirmed runners for the race that carries a €712k first prize. Plus we give our Irish Champion Stakes tips and best bets below.
Delacroix Will Be All The Rage To Give O’Brien a Thirteenth Irish Champion Stakes Win
Of course, the Aidan O’Brien-trained Delacroix will be all the rage to win Saturday’s big race at Leopardstown.
After all, Aidan O’Brien has won the Irish Champion Stakes a record 12 times. Including five times in the last six years.
Delacroix is the clear top-rated in the field too (126) and also gets 6lbs off the joint next best – the 7 year-old Anmaat (123).
While his Coral-Eclipse win in July, when beaten Ombudsman is of course rock-solid form (watch below).
There’s a lot to like.
He’s since run second in the Juddmonte International Stakes at York – with Ombudsman gaining his revenge that day.
But that was a messy race where the pacemaker Birr Castle blasted out set the race up for the Godolphin horse and blunted the chance of Delacroix.
He’s got no Ombudsman to deal with here and it’s no shock the horse racing betting sites are making him a big favourite to get back to winning ways.
Delacroix also has good form here at Leopardstown- where he’s 2-2-1-1.
In short, it’s hard to out anyone off the son of Dubawi – but is he value at 5/4 in the market?
Especially as his normal jockey Ryan Moore is out injured – with Christophe Soumillon being drafted in by Ballydoyle to cover.
Of course, some might think he still is. However, being a short price in the betting also means there might be better options a bit further down the market.
Let’s take a look at the alternatives to Delacroix.
Irish Champion Stakes Tips: The Value Away From Delacroix
ANMAAT is the joint second top-rated in the field at 123, but has to give 6lbs away to the younger Delacroix.
This Owen Burrows runner is holding his form well at the age of 7.
Having last been seen running a blinder to be second to Ombudsman in the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Meaning he’s got form linked in with Delacroix. But at the age of 7 – he’d be the oldest ever Irish Champion Stakes winner since the race was first run in 1976.
With Swain, aged 6, currently the oldest ever winner of the race.
We’ll also have last year’s close third – SHIN EMPEROR, who will be flying the flag for Japan.
He’s rated 123 too but will head here with only one win from his last nine and hasn’t been out since running down the field in the Sheema Classic at Meydaan in April.
WHITE BIRCH is also back after 111 days out and certainly has the form to mix it with the best of them.
But is another that hasn’t been out since May and has only raced twice since May 2024 – having had his issues.
Zahraan The Best Option Away From Delacroix
So that leaves the Johnny Murtagh-trained ZAHRAAN as the best option if you are looking to take on Delacroix.
This Night Of Thunder colt has only had five career runs – winning three. So, unlike a lot of these Irish Champion Stakes runners, should have more improvement to come.
He’s also already lowered the colours of a big Ballydoyle horse this season. When beaten Los Angeles in the Royal Whip Stakes at the Curragh last time.
Zahraan is 1-1 here at Leopardstown too – when winning over 1m4f back in June and certainly wasn’t disgraced when running second to Amiloc at Royal Ascot (King Edward VII Stakes).
He showed that he’s got enough pace to cope with the drop back to this 1m2f, when winning last time. But, unlike Delacroix, has proven stamina if this does turn into a slog.
This 3 year-old will also get 6lbs from the older horses and when looking at this recent Curragh win (see below).
He also didn’t get the best of runs in the straight, so could have probably won even further with a clearer passage.
Therefore, Zahraan looks to have plenty going for him.
And so anyone looking for a bit more value – he’s got to be the pick for give these famous Aga Khan colours a third win in the race.
When Is The Irish Champion Stakes 2025?
📅Date: Saturday 13th September 2025
⌚Time: 5:30pm
🏇Racecourse: Leopardstown
💰Winning Purse: €712,500
📺 TV: RTE2
Irish Champion Stakes Runners and Betting Odds 2025
- Anmaat 5/1
- Royal Champion 16/1
- Shin Emperor 6/1
- White Birch 8/1
- Delacroix 5/4
- Hotazhell 33/1
- Mount Kilimanjaro 100/1
- Zahrann 11/2
Note: Odds are subject to change
