2024 Irish Champions Weekend Tips - September 14-15

Irish Champions Weekend News - Aidan O'Brien Stable Tour

Conrad Castleton

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Last updated: 10 Sep 2024

Conrad Castleton 10 Sep 2024

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Key quotes from Aidan O'Brien ahead of the Irish Champions Weekend 2024
O'Brien ran through his Group One runners this weekend
Read quotes on Auguste Rodin, Kyprios, Bedtime Story and more

Aidan O'Brien poses at Curragh Racecourse. (Getty)

Aidan O'Brien ICW 2024 Runners

Saturday's Runners at Leopardstown
Auguste Rodin (Irish Champion Stakes)
Los Angeles (Irish Champion Stakes)
Ylang Ylang (Matron Stakes)
Sunday's Runners
Kyprios (Irish St Leger)
Bedtime Story (Moylgare Stud Stakes)
Lake Victoria (Moylgare Stud Stakes)
Henri Matisse (National Stakes)
The Lion In Winter (National Stakes)

On the eve of Irish Champions Weekend 2024, Aidan O'Brien has provided quotes on the horses he'll running in the Group Ones at Leopardstown and the Curragh.

Here's the Aidan O'Brien Irish Champions Weekend stable tour in full. All quotes are attributed to Racing TV.

Aidan O'Brien Stable Tour - Irish Champions Festival

Saturday's Runners at Leopardstown

Auguste Rodin (Irish Champion Stakes)

His last piece of work was excellent — he showed a lot of zest in it. He loves fast ground, and his work is very good.

He went by his lead horse very easily, where usually he wouldn’t at that stage of the work. He was very confident, and we were very happy when we saw it — it was a bit different. He’s changed into a four-year-old, that’s what we felt. He’s all quality.

We think he’s a mile-and-a-quarter horse that gets a mile and a half, but he’s not for any further than that. He’s a very slick horse, he travels very well and does everything very easily. We think he’s going to suit the race, and the next race will suit him as well.

Los Angeles (Irish Champion Stakes)

We went to the Great Voltigeur with a view to coming back to this, so hopefully that's what's going to happen. It's going to be interesting to see what he does do, the pace will be strong. Whether he has enough pace to follow it and make a run at the end will be interesting.

We think we're going to learn a lot about him, and he's going to learn a lot about racing as well.

Ylang Ylang (Matron Stakes)

We gave her a break after the Epsom Oaks as she was lame. She tweaked her back coming down the hill and it took her a bit of time to get back. She was just ready to start at Leopardstown the last day. We felt that she needed to run if she was going to come back (for the Matron Stakes), even if she was only probably 70% fit.

Ryan said that they went very slow, so she was never really going to get into the race and he looked after her. She came out of the race very well, so the plan is to go back to Leopardstown and we'll ride her more forward. We've been very happy with her since.

undefined — Ryan Moore riding Auguste Rodin (orange/blue) win The Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes from Seamie Heffernan and Luxembourg (red/blue) at Leopardstown. (Getty)

Sunday's Runners

Kyprios (Irish St Leger)

Last year, we were just so delighted to have him back. We felt that if we got through last year and got through the winter, we'd have a chance of having him back properly this year. Everybody did an awful lot of work with him and they're the ones who made it happen. They did a lot of work with him through the winter and he came back to what he looked to be at his best. It's incredible really.

He's got a great mind. He really looks after himself and he's able to quicken when you really want him to. He's a very unusual horse really. I think you could go all the way back to a mile-and-a-quarter with him if you had to. I'd have no doubt that he'd be a Group horse over that distance. For a horse who gets two-and-a-half miles, to have that pace, is very rare. The Irish St Leger is perfect for him.

Bedtime Story (Moylgare Stud Stakes)

When she won first time in Leopardstown, we were delighted with her and what she did in the Chesham was incredible really. She's a big high cruiser, she quickens and she stays very well.

We didn't want to see a big display like she did in Ascot on her next two races, because you can't maintain those things really. We've just tried to educate her on her last two runs and try to get her to win without opening her up.

Lake Victoria (Moylgare Stud Stakes)

She had a lovely run at Newmarket the last day. We were delighted with her first start and she came forward lovely into Newmarket. Sean (Levey) rode her the last day and he was very happy with her. For a Frankel filly, she has a lot of speed.

Henri Matisse (National Stakes)

We always felt that he would stay at six for the first couple of runs, thinking he really wanted to go up to seven. He still won a Group race over six, and when he went up to seven the last day he was even more impressive.

He quickens well and relaxes well, which is very hard to find in a horse. You'd imagine he'll be able to get a mile, but he mightn't have to go that far this year.

The Lion In Winter (National Stakes)

He's a possible. We'll keep him on the boil and see what the lads want to do closer to it. We were thinking about the Goffs Million, but he could take in the two. I still don't think he'd get a penalty (for winning a Group One) in the Goffs.

We were worried that York would be too fast for him, but he hit the gates very well and Ryan (Moore) rode him very positively and he won very easily. I don't think Ryan even picked the stick up on him.