5.30 Royal Bahrain Irish
Champion Stakes (Group 1)
1m 2f
Anmaat: No runner in the field is older than this seven-year-old, but he’s shown no signs of regression this season. Last year’s Champion Stakes winner from Ascot only failed by half a length in the Tattersalls Gold Cup behind Los Angeles (Kalpana third and White Birch fourth), after trading at close to 1/9 in-running. Again, went a shade of odds-on when probably hitting the front too early and having no answer to Ombudsman in the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes when last seen, beaten two lengths. Rated 3lb behind Delacroix and shouldn’t be open to anything like the improvement of that much younger rival, but he is well-established at this level and is likely to appreciate any rain.
Royal Champion: Globetrotting seven-year-old comes here on the back of one of his best efforts, winning the Group 2 York Stakes seven weeks ago. More of a concern is his record at Group 1 level, safely held on three attempts in the grade and runner-up in a Woodbine Grade 1 on the other back in October 2023, and he probably wants decent ground.
Shin Emperor: Japanese-trained brother to Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner Sottsass was only beaten a length when third in this race last year, not having the smoothest of runs but still splitting Ballydoyle big guns Auguste Rodin and Los Angeles for the minor money. Disappointed on testing ground in the Arc next time before back on track with a close second in the Japan Cup in November and a win in a valuable Saudi event in February. Backwards step in the Sheema Classic when last seen at Meydan 161 days ago, so has a layoff to defy, but connections insist this race has always been the plan and believe he is an improved type thanks to physical and mental maturity. A reproduction of last year’s run here puts him bang there.
White Birch: Has only run five times in the last two years, but his pair of appearances this season suggest he’s still operating at a strong level. Failed by just a neck in the Mooresbridge Stakes against Los Angeles on his comeback (Trustyourinstinct, Sons And Lovers and Galen all group-race winners this season in behind), followed by a length-and-three-quarters defeat to the same Ballydoyle rival in the Tattersalls Gold Cup when not having a clear run from off the pace. Has just over a length to find with Anmaat on that form, and will be at ease with any rain. Absence of 111 days probably not ideal, but must be considered a lively player on the basis of his emphatic three-length win over Auguste Rodin (runner-up here last year) in the 2024 Tattersalls Gold Cup.
Delacroix: Has at least 3lb to spare with his nearest rival on ratings as the official standard setter here, following a dramatic win in the Eclipse and second to Ombudsman in the Juddmonte International. Connections were adamant they didn’t see the best of him in those unorthodox pace circumstances with the winner’s pace-maker at York, and he’s now back to a track where he started this season with back-to-back Derby trial wins. Bombed out in the Derby but otherwise consistent and he’s out to become the fifth three-year-old in succession to win this race.
Hotazhell: Got the better of Delacroix by a nose in last year’s Futurity Trophy on soft ground at Doncaster, and hasn’t yet got any ease in the ground in his three runs in 2025. Safely-held fourth in the Irish 2000 Guineas behind Field Of Gold before finishing three and three-quarters of a length behind Delacroix in the Eclipse when fifth. Didn’t get the smoothest of passages when a close-up fourth in the Saratoga Derby last time. Ground should suit. Still needs a career best.
Mount Kilimanjaro: Dee Stakes winner was safely held in the Great Voltigeur last time and looks likely to be a pacemaker for stablemate Delacroix.
Zahrann: Unraced at two and has been making big strides throughout his three-year-old season, held in high regard by connections. Looked a fairly stout stayer when winning the King George V Cup here over a mile and a half in early June before second over same trip in the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot. Showed a different side to his game, when able to drop in distance to capture the Royal Whip over 10 furlongs at the Curragh four weeks ago, beating a then 80-rated stablemate, useful yardstick Galen and Los Angeles, who was thought to be in considerable need of the run. Gives the impression he’ll relish a strongly-run 10 furlongs around here and is less exposed than most - even if he needs to improve a fair bit to be an elite middle-distance Group 1 horse.
Conclusion
Delacroix is a deserving favourite on the basis of his Eclipse victory, but he doesn’t represent major value at the prices - now taking on established, older Group 1 regulars, and an up-and-coming force like Zahrann. With conditions likely to be on the slow side, it could be time for White Birch to repay his connections’ patience over a track and trip where he’s won before. He readily put away Auguste Rodin in Group 1 company last year (subsequently runner-up in the 2024 renewal of this race) and, on all known form, it’s hard to say that Delacroix is definitely as good as that top-notch, classic-winning stablemate. Anmaat, if getting all the breaks and arriving at the right time, will be bang there, while Shin Emperor wasn’t far away last year and his rider surely will have learned from that experience.