It took time, but Luxembourg eventually lived up to his potential with success in Saturday’s Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown.
Aidan O’Brien’s top classic hope had spent the summer recuperating from injury in a frustrating campaign for the Coolmore/Ballydoyle operation who’d endured an unusually sparse return from their three-year-old colts.
Luxembourg’s comeback victory at the Curragh last month had been workmanlike at best but ultimately served its purpose on Day 1 of Longines Irish Champions Weekend.
Patience got its reward as Ryan Moore guided the 7-2 joint-favourite to an exciting defeat of the two French challengers, Onesto and Vadeni.
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On a day when the late Jack De Bromhead was remembered with a minute’s applause by the 10,280 strong crowd — many wearing red ribbons in tribute to the 13 year old — there was a bittersweet element to Luxembourg’s success.
Mrs Evie Stockwell, mother of John Magnier, passed away on Saturday, aged 97. The Coolmore supremo was not present at Leopardstown.
O’Brien, enjoying a fourth win in a row in the Irish Champion Stakes, and an 11th in all, was quick to put the occasion in perspective afterwards and said: “All our thoughts are with Mrs Stockwell and little Jack.”
From a commercial racing point of view though, the impact of Luxembourg’s victory in such a prestigious and stallion-making race was impossible to ignore.
Up to now, the inability of any other Ballydoyle three-year-old colt to step up to the top-level this season promised to impact on Coolmore’s bottom-line.
The production of prospective stallions is always the task put in front of O’Brien every year and the lack of other suitable material this summer must have made Luxembourg’s absence even more frustrating.
Having met a setback after a promising third in the Guineas, the son of Camelot missed the Derby and other top summer targets as the slow work involved in coming back from a muscle problem continued.
It all culminated on Saturday as Moore perfectly delivered Luxembourg to challenge Onesto who rallied admirably before going down by half a length.
In contrast Christophe Soumillon on the 7-4 favourite Vadeni endured frustration, never placed to challenge before ultimately ending up on the rail in pursuit of the leading pair.
“He’s had a difficult year but he’s done that very well. He was still a little bit raw, a bit babyish. When he got to the front, he was always doing enough,” Moore said.
“He’s beaten some good three-year-olds and older horses. He always felt like he was in control of the race. He was just a little bit green when he first went there. In the last furlong, Onesto was always there but I always felt I had him.
“I think there’s more to come from him. I’d like to think there are more good days in him to come,” he added.
One of those could be next month’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, for which one firm cut Luxembourg to 6-1, where a clash with the outstanding older horse, Baaeed, could be in the offing.
“It was an unbelievable effort from all the team to get this horse back and Ryan gave him an incredible ride,” O’Brien said.
“We felt going to the Curragh that he was only ready for a racecourse gallop and he couldn’t come here unless he had a race. That’s why we were so happy with him at the Curragh. He had 20 to 30 per cent to improve from the Curragh and you usually don’t run a horse in a Group race like that.
“The plan and the dream was we had three races mapped out if we could get him back. If we could get him to the Curragh then he could come here and if he came here then we could go for the Arc.
“The pace was solid and it was an even pace. He’s obviously a very good horse,” he added.
The champion trainer showed no inclination of avoiding Baaeed in Paris on the first Sunday in October.
“He wasn’t surrendering at the line today and he could be better over a mile and a half. His head was in the cooker a long way up that straight and he didn’t stop.
“Ryan was very impressed and he’s not an optimist by nature! Usually if he’s a little bit impressed that will do,” O’Brien said.
Later, Co Tipperary based trainer Paddy Twomey secured a second career Group 1 as Pearls Galore went one better than last year to land the Coolmore Matron Stakes at 16-1.
Billy Lee, who rode Twomey’s first top-level winner, La Petite Coco in June’s Pretty Polly, opted to make all on Pearls Galore who kicked off the bend and ultimately scored by three lengths.
Saffron Beach previously beat Pearls Galore at Deauville but couldn’t peg back her rival this time as Tenebrism filled third place.
The 5-4 favourite Homeless Songs ran keen for much of the race and wound up fourth.
“France didn’t work out the last day and we came home disappointed but not upset. The ground was quick and it was a straight mile.
“This is more her jazz, and ease in the ground and a turn. The best race of her life was this race last year,” Twomey explained.
“I knew she was in good form and I said to Billy with the cheekpieces on I don’t think we should be taking her back.
“She has got speed and she stays. She has a lot of ability and can go at a high pace and burn off other horses. That’s her true running.
“The aim was to win a Group 1 and she’s after doing it,” he added.
After Vadeni’s big-race defeat, Christophe Soumillon endured another reverse in the Matron as his mount, Lights On, ruined her chance by rearing up when the gates opened.
In between however he scored in the Group 2 Clipper Boomerang Mile on the 9-4 joint-favourite, Jadoomi.
The Belgian was at his best on the English raider, dictating from the front and going away to win by four lengths.
Afterwards Soumillon said he knew Vadeni wasn’t 100 per cent fit and felt the ground was too soft for the French Derby and Eclipse winner.
“With a clearer run and a little bit more fitness he can beat the others,” he reported.
Tomorrow’s Curragh card includes a pair of Group 1 juvenile contests but Auguste Rodin’s Group 2 success on Saturday pushed him to the forefront of next year’s classic betting.
The Deep Impact colt was no more than workmanlike on the easy-going to land the KPMG Champions Juvenile Stakes but ultimately scored with authority as the 11-10 favourite.
He adds further proven strength to an exceptional looking two-year-old squad at Ballydoyle topped by the outstanding Little Big Bear.
O’Brien didn’t bother to disguise his regard for a colt with “a lovely nature” who could step up to Group 1 level himself in either the Dewhurst or the Futurity.
“He’s a horse with a lot of quality. He’s just back off his break but will come forward plenty from it. He’s a good traveller, lovely mover, will appreciate nice ground when he gets it. He was a little bit idle when he got there we’re delighted with him,” O’Brien said.
“We thought he could be a Derby horse that could start in the Guineas. He could end up a mile and a quarter horse,” he added.
Out of luck with Homeless Songs, Dermot Weld struck in the Group 3 Paddy Power Stakes with Duke De Sessa who edged out another Newtown Anner Stud owned horse in Thunder Kiss.
A Group 1 in Germany next month could be an option for the winner.
“He’d been working very well and that is why we left him in the Champion Stakes up to the four-day stage. The big question was whether he would get the mile and a half and he got it well,” Weld said.
