The Irish Champions Festival is the biggest weekend of the 2023 Flat season in Ireland as the leading horses compete over two days of top-class action.
Leopardstown stages the first day of the meeting on Saturday, September 9 before the Curragh takes over hosting duties on Sunday, September 10.
As well as boasting the final Classic of the season, the Irish St Leger, there is prize money worth €4.5million up for grabs across 16 races on the schedule.
The Irish Champion Stakes is the feature on day one at Leopardstown, which sees last year’s winner Luxembourg tackle the first two home in the Epsom Derby, stablemate Auguste Rodin and King Of Steel. There is further top-level action as Tahiyra goes for glory in the Matron Stakes.
There are four Group 1 contests on the second day of action including the Vincent O’Brien National Stakes featuring leading juveniles City of Troy and Bucanero Fuerte as well as the return of superstar stayer Kyprios in the Irish St Leger.
Irish Champions Festival odds can be found on the Paddy Power website and Paddy Power app, otherwise the race times and day-by-day schedule for this year’s meeting are below.
Irish Champions Festival 2023 race times
Saturday, September 9
13:45: Ballylinch Stud Irish EBF Ingabelle Stakes
14:15: Golden Fleece Stakes (Group 2)
14:45: Dullingham Park Stakes (Group 2)
15:20: Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes (Group 1)
15:55: Coolmore America ‘Justify’ Matron Stakes (Group 1)
16:30: Paddy Power Stakes (Group 3)
17:05: Irish Stallion Farms EBF ‘Petingo’ Handicap (Premier Handicap)
17:40: Irish Stallion Farms EBF ‘Sovereign Path’ Handicap (Premier Handicap)
Sunday, September 10
13:50: Irish Stallion Farms EBF ‘Bold Lad’ Sprint Handicap (Premier Handicap)
14:25: Moyglare “Jewels” Blandford Stakes (Group 2)
14:55: Al Basti Equiworld, Dubai Flying Five Stakes (Group 1)
15:25: Moyglare Stud Stakes (Group 1)
16:00: Goffs Vincent O’Brien National Stakes (Group 1)
16:35: Comer Group International Irish St. Leger (Group 1)
17:10: Tattersalls Ireland Super Auction Sale Stakes
17:45: Irish Stallion Farms EBF ‘Northfields’ Handicap (Premier Handicap)
Irish Champions Festival 2023 Racecard
Our snazzy Racecards page has details of the runners and riders, weights, odds and Timeform’s horse-by-horse analysis for every renewal on the Irish Champions Festival schedule.
Irish Champions Festival 2023 Tips
Paddy Power News is the home of top tips and best bets for the Irish Champions Festival. Our superstar stable of pundits includes Ruby Walsh, one of the most successful jockeys in the history of the sport, and ace tipster Rory Delargy.
SATURDAY
- Horse Racing tips: Ruby Walsh’s best Saturday bets on Champion Stakes Day at Leopardstown
- Horse Racing tips: Rory Delargy’s Champion Stakes Day picks at Leopardstown
- Irish Champion Stakes tips and runner-by-runner guide to Leopardstown 3.20 on Saturday
SUNDAY
Irish Champions Festival 2023 Live Stream
You can live stream every single race at Leopardstown and the Curragh on the Paddy Power website and via the Paddy Power app for free.
Just head to paddypower.com or the Paddy Power app and sign up or log in. Once you’ve done that, find the betting page for the renewal you wish to watch and click the button that says ‘Watch Live’.
Read More on the Irish Champions Festival
- Gallop over to Paddy Power News for all the latest horse racing tips
- When is the Irish Champion Stakes? Leopardstown date, start time, runners and betting
- When is the Irish St Leger? Curragh date, start time, runners and betting
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