You know how punters get lost in too much data or bet blindly? I break down the stats and trends so you can feel confident you’re betting with more than just gut instinct.
2027 Irish Champion Stakes Preview
The Irish Champion Stakes is a Group 1 race open to runners who are aged three or older. The race takes place in September of each year during the Irish Champions Festival and is run over one mile and two furlongs at Leopardstown racecourse.
Established in 1976, the race was originally named in honour of Joe McGrath, a former racehorse owner and a man honoured for his work with hospital charities.
In 2009, the race became part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge series, where the winner earns an automatic spot in the Breeders' Cup Turf that same year.
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Irish Champion Stakes Information:
- Irish Champion Stakes Past Winners
- Irish Champion Stakes Trainer Statistics
- Irish Champion Stakes Jockey Statistics
Our dedicated Leopardstown tips page will not only bring you predictions from the OLBG racing tipsters for the upcoming card that includes the Irish Champion Stakes, but will also have predictions for each meeting at Leopardstown throughout the season, so be sure to head over there. You may also be interested in other preview blogs that we have packed full of information. Head down to the Races Covered during the Irish Champions Festival section for links to these.
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How competitive is the Irish Champion Stakes market? When looking at the over-rounds for the last 20 renewals, the most competitive market was in 2021, when the race had an over-round of 109%. The race in 2016 was a race that was most in the bookie's favour with an over-round of 126%, whilst on average over the last 20 renewals of the Irish Champion Stakes, the over-round has been 115%, which means the bookie expects to pay out £100 for every £115 which is bet.
Below you will find the 2027 Irish Champion Stakes Trends. See which patterns have occurred over the recent renewals that you may be able to use for the next renewal. We also have a section that looks at the Irish Champion Stakes Trend Analysis.
These are the top three quickest-run Irish Champion Stakes races over the last 20 renewals:
- Snow Fairy (2:00.92) in 2012
- Dylan Thomas (2:02.27) in 2007
- Hotazhell (2:02.53) in 2026
Looking at the future form, is the winner worth following next time out? Over the past 20 renewals, if you had followed the winner of the Irish Champion Stakes next time out, then you would have backed a total of 7 winners. Backing all 17 runners who have been out since their win at SP next time out would have returned an LSP of +7.75. Remember to use the racing predictions along with the information on this page to find a bet on the 2027 Irish Champion Stakes.
The runner that holds the record over the past 20 renewals for the slowest time in the race was set in the 2022 renewal when Luxembourg from A P O'Brien under the guidance of Ryan Moore, won in a time of 2:12.10, whilst at the other end of the spectrum, Snow Fairy, trained by Ed Dunlop and ridden by Frankie Dettori set the quickest time of 2:00.92 in the 2012 renewal.
Irish Champion Stakes Past Winners
Here are the Irish Champion Stakes' past winners for the last 10 renewals. Each row details the race year, the winning horse, and the horse's age & weight. Also detailed are the stall from which the horse came and the total number of runners in the race. The horse's trainer and the jockey at the time of winning the Irish Champion Stakes are also displayed, along with the starting price at which the horse was sent off.
| Year | Horse (Drawn) | Info |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 2:02.53 | Hotazhell (GB) 4yo 9-9 (1 of 8) 50/1 | Shane Foley Mrs John Harrington (IRE) |
| 2025 2:04.69 | Delacroix (IRE) 3yo 9-3 (8 of 8) 2/1F | Christophe Soumillon A P O'Brien (IRE) |
| 2024 2:03.20 | Economics (GB) 3yo 9-3 (8 of 8) 7/4F | Tom Marquand William Haggas (GB) |
| 2023 2:02.68 | Auguste Rodin (IRE) 3yo 9-3 (2 of 8) 11/4F | Ryan Moore A P O'Brien (IRE) |
| 2022 2:12.10 | Luxembourg (IRE) 3yo 9-3 (6 of 7) 7/2 | Ryan Moore A P O'Brien (IRE) |
| 2021 2:11.19 | St Marks Basilica (FR) 3yo 9-3 (4 of 4) 5/6F | Ryan Moore A P O'Brien (IRE) |
| 2020 2:05.08 | Magical (IRE) 5yo 9-6 (5 of 6) 9/2 | Seamie Heffernan A P O'Brien (IRE) |
| 2019 2:06.49 | Magical (IRE) 4yo 9-4 (3 of 8) 11/10F | Ryan Moore A P O'Brien (IRE) |
| 2018 2:07.21 | Roaring Lion (USA) 3yo 9-1 (8 of 7) 8/11F | Oisin Murphy John Gosden (GB) |
| 2017 2:08.36 | Decorated Knight (GB) 5yo 9-7 (10 of 10) 25/1 | Andrea Atzeni Roger Charlton (GB) |
Where have the winning runners come from?
Here are the countries where the winning trainers of the Irish Champion Stakes have been based:
- IRE: 12 winners with an additional 15 placings from 98 runners
- GB: 7 winners with an additional 11 placings from 38 runners
- FR: 1 winner with an additional 1 placing from 8 runners
- JPN: 0 winners with an additional 1 placing from 3 runners
2026 Irish Champion Stakes Replay
Irish Champion Stakes Trainer Statistics
The leading trainer in the Irish Champion Stakes over the last 20 renewals is A P O'Brien, who has won the race nine times, with those nine winners coming from Dylan Thomas (2007), Cape Blanco (2010), So You Think (2011), Magical (2019 & 2020), St Marks Basilica (2021), Luxembourg (2022), Auguste Rodin (2023) and Delacroix (2025). The only other trainer to have recorded multiple wins in the Irish Champion Stakes is John Gosden (3 wins). One trainer has not had the best of times in the Irish Champion Stakes; D K Weld has sent a total of 10 runners to the race without recording a win.
Here are some of the top Irish Champion Stakes trainer statistics over the last 20 renewals (R = Runners, W = Winners, P = Places including winners, Win LSP is based on 1pt Win and EW LSP is based on 0.5pt Win & 0.5pt Place):
| Trainer | R-W-P | Win | EW |
|---|---|---|---|
| A P O'Brien | 57-9-23 | -26.54 | -20.42 |
| John Gosden | 4-3-4 | +4.98 | +3.44 |
| J S Bolger | 11-1-1 | -9.38 | -8.63 |
| Mrs John Harrington | 4-1-1 | +47.00 | +27.00 |
| Roger Charlton | 4-1-2 | +22.00 | +12.61 |
| J-C Rouget | 3-1-1 | +5.00 | +2.20 |
| William Haggas | 3-1-1 | -0.25 | -0.95 |
| Kevin Ryan | 2-1-1 | +6.00 | +3.38 |
| Ed Dunlop | 2-1-2 | +0.88 | +1.43 |
| D K Weld | 10-0-0 | -10.00 | -9.00 |
Irish Champion Stakes Jockey Statistics
The leading jockey in the Irish Champion Stakes over the last 20 renewals is Ryan Moore, who has won the race five times, with those five winners coming from The Grey Gatsby (2014), Magical (2019), St Marks Basilica (2021), Luxembourg (2022) and Auguste Rodin (2023). Other jockeys who have recorded multiple wins in the Irish Champion Stakes are Seamie Heffernan (3 wins) and Christophe Soumillon (2 wins).
Here are some of the top Irish Champion Stakes jockey statistics over the last 20 renewals (R = Runners, W = Winners, P = Places including winners, Win LSP is based on 1pt Win and EW LSP is based on 0.5pt Win & 0.5pt Place):
| Jockey | R-W-P | Win | EW |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ryan Moore | 11-5-9 | +9.18 | +5.77 |
| Seamie Heffernan | 14-3-8 | -0.25 | +2.91 |
| Christophe Soumillon | 5-2-3 | +6.00 | +6.20 |
| Shane Foley | 6-1-1 | +45.00 | +25.00 |
| William Buick | 4-1-3 | +1.00 | +0.78 |
| Oisin Murphy | 3-1-1 | -1.27 | -1.54 |
| Tom Marquand | 2-1-1 | +0.75 | +0.05 |
| Andrea Atzeni | 1-1-1 | +25.00 | +15.00 |
| Declan McDonogh | 7-0-1 | -7.00 | -4.70 |
| Wayne Lordan | 4-0-1 | -4.00 | -2.30 |
2027 Irish Champion Stakes Trends
Favourites' finishing positions (oldest to latest): 1, 1, 1, 2, 1, 2, 2, 2, 1, 8, 7, 1, 1, 2, 1, 3, 1, 1, 1, 3
The percentage shown is the proportion of runners who fell under that factor. High percentages are less appealing than lower ones, as you would expect them to do well.
- 20 / 20 (65%) - Achieved a TS of 100+ (Last 5)
- 20 / 20 (67%) - Achieved an RPR of 118+ (Career)
- 20 / 20 (73%) - Achieved a TS of 101+ (Career)
- 20 / 20 (76%) - Highest Won is not G3/LST/Cl2-4
- 20 / 20 (77%) - Not on HY/SFT/FM (LTO)
- 20 / 20 (78%) - Beaten no more -4l (Debut)
- 20 / 20 (78%) - Ran over 1m2f - 1m4f (Last Win)
- 20 / 20 (78%) - Had 3 - 11 wins (Non-Hcps)
- 20 / 20 (82%) - Ran in 1 - 3 races (90 Days)
- 20 / 20 (82%) - Had 3 - 11 wins (Career)
- 20 / 20 (82%) - Carried 121 - 133lbs (LTO)
- 20 / 20 (82%) - Achieved an RPR of 114+ (Season)
- 20 / 20 (83%) - Won within last 4 starts
- 20 / 20 (83%) - Achieved a TS of 81+ (Last 3)
- 20 / 20 (88%) - Had 2 - 9 placings (1 Year)
Remember to use the trends listed above, along with the Leopardstown racing predictions, to see if you can find the winner of the Irish Champion Stakes. Did you know that we have an OLBG Betting School section on OLBG? It is a place to help you improve your betting experience with articles covering numerous topics.
Are you already a member? If not, then why not? With over £6,000 given away each month in the tipster competition, why not get involved? Remember, it is completely FREE! So, head over to the registration page to sign up today! If you are already a member, then share your thoughts on the Irish Champion Stakes by adding a tip on the race here.
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2027 Irish Champion Stakes Runners & Shortlist
The runners and the final trends shortlist for the 2027 renewal of the Irish Champion Stakes will be added once the final declarations are confirmed, which are usually 48 hours before the race.
Irish Champion Stakes Trend Analysis
✅ The trend factor, which has produced 10+ winners and shows the best LSP, an LSP of +55.11, is when runners ran in a Class 1 (G1) when last winning.
❌ The worst-performing factor that has failed to produce a single winner is when runners had 1 place in the past 180 days; when backing these, the trend shows a record of 0-39.
Here are the most recent winning draws, along with the further placings in brackets:
- 2026: Winner in 1 (7,3) [8 Runners]
- 2025: Winner in 8 (3,7) [8 Runners]
- 2024: Winner in 8 (4,3) [8 Runners]
- 2023: Winner in 2 (4,6) [8 Runners]
- 2022: Winner in 6 (4) [7 Runners]
The course which has produced the most winners of the Irish Champion Stakes is York; there have been a total of 10 winners of this race who ran at York last time out. The next best course, which has produced the second most winners, is Deauville; there have been a total of 3 winners of this race who ran at Deauville last time out.
The race is open to both sexes, with male runners having produced a total of 16 winners from a total of 128 runners, while female runners have produced 4 winners from a total of 19 runners.
Looking over the past renewals, these are the stallions whose offspring have produced multiple winners of the Irish Champion Stakes:
- Galileo (5 Wins)
- Cape Cross (2 Wins)
These are the stallions whose offspring have not produced a winner of the Irish Champion Stakes despite multiple attempts:
- Frankel (0 Wins from 7 runners)
- Australia (0 Wins from 5 runners)
- Shamardal (0 Wins from 5 runners)
- Teofilo (0 Wins from 5 runners)
Looking at the winning odds over the last 20 renewals, the biggest-priced winner was Hotazhell in 2026, winning for Mrs John Harrington at odds of 50/1 under the guidance of Shane Foley. Looking at the runners at the head of the market over the last 20 renewals, there have been 11 winning favourites in the race. Remember to use the best racing tipsters along with the information on this page to find a bet on the 2027 Irish Champion Stakes.
Route to the Irish Champion Stakes
Many trainers target races as preparation for the Irish Champion Stakes. These are the races in which the recent winners ran before coming here:
| Info | Last Race |
|---|---|
| 2026 - Hotazhell Munich - 1st of 10 (73/10) | Grosser Dallmayr-Preis - Bayerisches Zuchtrennen |
| 2025 - Delacroix York - 2nd of 6 (9/4) | Juddmonte International Stakes |
| 2024 - Economics Deauville - 1st of 7 (11/10) | Prix Guillaume dOrnano |
| 2023 - Auguste Rodin Ascot - 10th of 10 (9/4) | King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes |
| 2022 - Luxembourg Curragh - 1st of 6 (2/9) | Fitzdares Royal Whip Stakes |
| 2021 - St Marks Basilica Sandown - 1st of 4 (1/1) | Coral-Eclipse |
| 2020 - Magical York - 2nd of 5 (9/4) | Juddmonte International Stakes |
| 2019 - Magical York - 2nd of 4 (4/1) | Yorkshire Oaks |
| 2018 - Roaring Lion York - 1st of 8 (3/1) | Juddmonte International Stakes |
| 2017 - Decorated Knight York - 5th of 7 (16/1) | Juddmonte International Stakes |
Principal races during the Irish Champions Festival
Saturday at the Irish Champions Festival
Leopardstown hosts the opening day of the Irish Champions Festival, the highlight of the day being the Irish Champions Stakes, a race dominated by Aidan O'Brien in recent years, with him winning six of the last seven renewals and having won the race a total of thirteen times.
| Race | Last Winner | Info |
|---|---|---|
| Sovereign Path Handicap | Krasimir (IRE) 3yo - 15/2 | G M Lyons Reese Holohan |
| Golden Fleece Stakes | Darkness Falls (IRE) 2yo - 1/1 | A P O'Brien Ryan Moore |
| Matron Stakes | Blue Bolt (IRE) 4yo - 4/5 | Andrew Balding Colin Keane |
| Solonaway Stakes | Quddwah (GB) 6yo - 1/1 | Simon & Ed Crisford James Doyle |
| Irish Champion Stakes | Hotazhell (GB) 4yo - 50/1 | Mrs John Harrington Shane Foley |
| Petingo Handicap | Immutable (IRE) 6yo - 25/1 | Joseph G Murphy Luke McAteer |
Sunday at the Irish Champions Festival
The Sunday of the Irish Champions Festival is hosted at the Curragh with four Group 1 races, the highlight being the Irish St Leger. Aidan has not been as dominant in this, with just seven wins, two behind both Vincent O'Brien and Dermot Weld.
| Race | Last Winner | Info |
|---|---|---|
| Bold Lad Sprint Handicap | Tango Flare (IRE) 6yo - 50/1 | Patrick T Foley Luke McAteer |
| Blandford Stakes | Barnavara (IRE) 3yo - 6/1 | Mrs John Harrington Shane Foley |
| Moyglare Stud Stakes | Precise (IRE) 2yo - 11/2 | A P O'Brien Ronan Whelan |
| Flying Five Stakes | Arizona Blaze (GB) 3yo - 11/2 | Adrian Murray David Egan |
| National Stakes | Zavateri (IRE) 2yo - 15/2 | Eve Johnson Houghton Charles Bishop |
| Irish St Leger | Al Riffa (FR) 5yo - 3/1 | Joseph Patrick O'Brien Dylan Browne McMonagle |
| Northfields Handicap | Shaool (IRE) 4yo - 11/2 | J P Murtagh Ben Coen |
Article Contributor Information
We are fortunate to have an excellent team of specialists and experts at OLBG. Contributing to the creation and maintenance of this Irish Champion Stakes Preview are Andy and James. They both work on the Horse Racing Tips team, overseeing the tipsters and managing the tip settlement, while also creating and managing all the horse racing event previews for Flat racing.
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