When is the 2026 Irish Champion Stakes?
The Irish Champion Stakes is a premier Group One horse race run at Leopardstown, Dublin, scheduled for Saturday 12th September 2026. Open to horses aged three and above over ten furlongs, it's part of Irish Champions Weekend and a key target for top middle-distance performers. The race doubles as a stepping stone to major contests like the Champion Stakes at Ascot and the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. Notable trainers like Aidan O'Brien have dominated, and the event will be available to watch live on ITV, RacingTV, and selected online bookmakers like bet365.
- We bring you the dates and vital information about the 2026 Irish Champion Stakes
- This Group One will be run at Leopardstown on Saturday 12th September 2026
When is the 2026 Irish Champion Stakes?
The 2026 Irish Champion Stakes will be run at Leopardstown racecourse on Saturday 12th September 2026.
What is the Irish Champion Stakes?
The Irish Champion Stakes is the showpiece Group One contest on the opening day of Irish Champions Weekend, and it stands as one of the most prestigious races in the Irish flat racing calendar.
Staged at Leopardstown, the race is open to horses aged three years and older and is run over a distance of ten furlongs (a mile and a quarter). The Irish Champion Stakes regularly attracts some of the best middle-distance performers from Ireland, Britain, and beyond.
Who won the Irish Champion Stakes?
Delacroix ran out an impressive winner of the Irish Champion Stakes in 2025, beating Anmaat and Royal Champion under top Belgian jockey, Christophe Soumillon.
Which horses will run in the Irish Champion Stakes?
Horses that shine in top-level races such as the Juddmonte International Stakes, the Coral-Eclipse, and the Epsom Derby are often targeted at this prestigious Group One. The Irish Champion Stakes serves as a key late-season test for elite middle-distance performers, with many runners using it as a stepping stone before lining up in the Champion Stakes at Ascot, one of the great finales of the flat racing season.
Where is the Irish Champion Stakes run?
The Irish Champions Stakes is run at Leopardstown racecourse, situated in Dublin, Ireland.
Where can I watch the Irish Champion Stakes?
The Irish Champions Stakes will be shown on channels like ITV and RacingTV, but the easiest way would be to stream the race live. If you plan on watching the racing via your mobile or tablet, then bookmakers such as bet365 will allow you to stream the race live.
Irish Champion Stakes Live Streaming
The bet365 live streaming service covers a wide range of horse racing on a daily basis. Here's how to stream the 2026 Irish Champions Stakes live online:
- Visit bet365 > live streaming > horse racing
- Log-in or register for an account (use the bet365 bonus code NEWBONUS if opening a new account)
- Registered depositing users can then watch and bet on live horse racing.
To watch a bet365 live stream users must be logged in and have a funded account or to have placed a bet in the last 24 hours. 18+, geo-restrictions & terms and conditions apply.
Open Account Offer: Up to £100 in Bet Credits for new customers at bet365. Min deposit £5. Bet Credits available for use upon settlement of bets to value of qualifying deposit. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Time limits and T&Cs apply. The bonus code NEWBONUS can be used during registration, but does not change the offer amount in any way.
Irish Champion Stakes History
The Irish Champion Stakes is one of the most prestigious flat races in Irish Racing. The race is open to three-year-olds and above, and a trip of one-and-a-quarter-miles will have to be completed.
The Irish Champion Stakes was first run at Leopardstown in 1986. It's a Group One race sponsored by QIPCO and is part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series, with the winner guaranteeing them a place in the Breeders' Cup Turf later in November.
Winners of the Irish Champion Stakes often go on to run in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe - Europe's most prestigious flat race. The first horse to win both races in the same season was Carroll House, who scored at Leopardstown and Longchamp under Mick Kinane in 1989.
Dylan Thomas is the only horse to win the Irish Champion Stakes twice, successfully retaining his crown in 2007. Aidan O'Brien's star also won the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe later than autumn.
Three other legends of the game managed to win the Irish Champion Stakes and the Arc in the same season. Suave Dancer managed it in 1991. Sea The Stars landed the double in 2009, six years before Golden Horn won both races under Frankie Dettori.
Although the race is staged in Ireland, British trainers have enjoyed plenty of success in this Group One. Henry Cecil, Sir Michael Stoute, Ed Dunlop and Kevin Ryan have all saddled winners of the Irish Champion Stakes.
Roger Charlton's first victory came in 2017, when five-year-old Decorated Knight defeated his Irish rivals. John Gosden then celebrated his third win the following year, as Roaring Lion defeated Saxon Warrior in stunning fashion.
Aidan O'Brien is the most successful trainer in the history of the Irish Champion Stakes. Aidan's first winner came in 2000 when Giants Causeway won. His eighth and most recent triumph came in 2020, when top-mare Magical headed a 1-2-3 for Ballydoyle.
Ghaiyyath travelled to Leopardstown as the odds-on favourite in 2020, but it was Magical who prevailed once again, retaining her crown with another superb performance.
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