THE Irish Champion Stakes could end up being officially the best race run anywhere in the world this year, its ‘form’ having received a major boost by Sottsass last weekend.

Magical won the Leopardstown contest, coming off best in an epic battle with Ghaiyyath, who is officially the world’s highest rated racehorse. Armory finished third, a place ahead of Sottsass, who went on to win the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe on Sunday.

Garry O’Gorman, senior Irish flat handicapper, said: “Sottsass winning the Arc is certainly a boost to the overall rating of the Irish Champion as it will be his end of season rating (almost certainly 123) that will count in the calculation for Longines World’s Best Race 2020, rather than his race rating at Leopardstown itself (120).

“As a consequence , it is certain that the Irish Champion will be at or near the top of races not just in Europe but worldwide at the end of the year. While Sottsass is now retired, the other principals at Leopardstown – namely Ghaiyyath, Magical and Armory – will all have the opportunity to improve their ratings in the next couple of months.”

Sottsass raced in the colours of American art collector Peter Brant and the horse has been retired to stand at Coolmore Stud, which owns a 50% share in the son of Siyouni.

“He’s a good-looking horse with a good temperament, a classy horse and goes to stud in the best way after a great win in the Arc,” said trainer Jean-Claude Rouget.

“The decision has been made now as they want to protect him for a stallion career and I think it was best not to go to the Breeders’ Cup as the track would have been too sharp for him. He is quite a big horse with a big action. It would have been a risk.”

A winner at two, Sottsass won a listed race prior to his Prix du Jockey Club victory and he won the Group 2 Prix Niel prior to finishing third in last year’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, behind the older pair of Waldgeist and Enable.

He again showed the benefit of a prep race when winning the Group 1 Prix Ganay in June and was then given a break before being prepared for the Arc with outings at Deauville and Leopardstown.

Rouget said: “The Arc was the target this year. It was not easy with Covid to do good planning, but we did well. I am very happy for him not to run again. He was a very courageous horse.”