Big weekend for Coolmore

Ireland's Coolmore "lads" and trainer Aidan O'Brien had a special weekend with signal victories in both England and the Emerald Isle - results that will echo in racing and breeding for years to come.

- ROBERT KIECKHEFER

That massive sigh of relief that swept over northeast Ireland shortly after 5:30 Saturday afternoon came from the Coolmore "lads" and trainer Aidan O'Brien in response to the outcome of the Group 1 Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown. The connections had an amazing stake in the outcome as the winner, Delacroix, a Dubawi colt out of the late American champion mare Tepin, is the great hope for the future of their breeding operations. To keep that hope at the boil, Delacroix had to avenge a loss to Ombudsman in their last outing - the Group 1 Juddmonte International at York.

Ombudsman

Ombudsman ducked a rematch so the main opposition came down to Anmaat, who had not raced since finishing second in the Group 1 Prince of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot, and Japan's hope, Shin Emperor. Adding to the tension, O'Brien's go-to jockey, Ryan Moore, is sidelined with a broken leg.

In the end, Delacroix and replacement jockey Christophe Soumillon got the job done, rallying right on cue after stablemate Mount Kilamanjaro set the early clip. Taking the lead in the lane, Delacroix held off Anmaat by 3/4 length with Shin Emperor unable to land a blow, finishing sixth of eight.

The victory earned a "Win and You're In" spot in the Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf but the British bookmakers made him 4-1 for the Champion Stakes at Ascot and O'Brien hinted Delacroix might be too valuable to risk another trip to the races.