1. Hats off to stellar O’Brien performance

In the aftermath of resurrecting Auguste Rodin from a no-show in the 2000 Guineas to win the Derby at Epsom, the merits of that exquisite training performance was discussed in these pages as potentially being Aidan O’Brien’s greatest yet.

However, the Ballydoyle team’s second successful retrieval mission of the season in the Irish Champion Stakes likely ranks as an even bigger coup. It was truly extraordinary.

How many trainers would have even run Auguste Rodin in a Group 1 contest like this just 42 days after blowing out so alarmingly at Ascot? Very few. If Auguste Rodin was trained by nearly any other trainer, what are the chances of him being sent off as short as 11/4 favourite for an Irish Champion Stakes after such a preparation? Extremely slim.

Some may crib about the dominance of one outfit in any sport but this was an outstanding effort from a once-in-a-lifetime type of trainer and operation.

2. Tough going for those off the pace

Positive tactics are often the way to go but it looked to be particularly tough to land a blow from off the pace throughout the card at Leopardstown.

The first two home in the Ingabelle Stakes filled those positions from early, the same applied with the one-two-three in the Champion Juvenile Stakes, while Tahiyra didn’t race too far behind the leader in the Matron.

How challenging it was to get involved from further back was evidenced in the Irish Champion, with Nashwa, King Of Steel and Alflaila all having plenty of ground to make up on Auguste Rodin.

Flight Plan made all in the Dullingham Park, just as Adelaide River did in the Paddy Power Stakes and being in the first half of the field in the Petingo Handicap was also important.

All told, it goes to show how well handicapped Broadhurst was in the Sovereign Path Handicap to strike from so far off the pace.

3. Tudhope riding at the top of his game

It was a fine weekend’s work for British rider Danny Tudhope at the 2023 Irish Champions Festival.

From six rides over the two days, the quality rider earned €503,000 in prize money and was operating at the top of his game in big spots.

His front-running ride on Flight Plan for race sponsor Steve Parkin in the Dullingham Park was terrifically executed, and he also got the maximum from Rogue Millenium when finishing second in the Matron Stakes on day one.

That fine run of form continued into the Sunday card at Leopardstown when bringing up his 10th career win at Group/Grade 1 level in the Moyglare Stud Stakes on Fallen Angel, and he also collected prize money on runner-up Mercian Warrior in the €300,000 Tattersalls Ireland Super Auction Sale Stakes, as well as on sixth-placed Fresh in the Bold Lad.

This meeting has been good to him in the past with the likes of Laurens, Suedois, Custom Cut and Watchable, and he excelled again this time around on the big stage.