Luxembourg back to his best

One of last season's leading juveniles Luxembourg registered his second Group 1 victory when providing his trainer Aidan O'Brien with his eleventh win the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown on Saturday. The son of Camelot won the Futurity Stakes at Doncaster last Autumn and ran a cracker in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket on his reappearance. Beaten two and a quarter lengths on the Rowley Mile, he would have finished closer had he not stumbled early on. The Ballydoyle colt was ruled out for much of the summer though due to a setback before returning with a workmanlike victory in the Group 3 Royal Whip Stakes at the Curragh last month. However, Luxembourg was back to his best here with a half length win from French raiders Onesto and Vadeni. Making headway inside the final quarter of a mile, he stayed on strongly to lead close home. Bred to stay further, he is now likely to head to Longchamp for the Prix de L'Arc de Triomphe early next month. If he improves as much as he did from his second run to his third this year, he could play a leading role in Paris in early October. 

Arguably the unlucky horse of the race was the aforementioned Vadeni who filled third position. The Eclipse Stakes winner didn't enjoy the clearest of passages in the latter stages with Christophe Soumillon forced to switch his mount to the inside. The son of Churchill was short of room on the far rail and was unable to use his trade mark turn of foot. It was interesting to hear his jockey's comments afterwards saying Jean-Claude Rouget's runner may not have been at peak fitness with other targets lying ahead this Autumn. He remains a top-class horse who is capable of winning more races at the highest level. 

Talking of the Prix de L'Arc de Triomphe, the Longchamp showpiece will feature in the Autumn Update which will be published on Thursday 22nd September. If you haven't ordered a copy, please head to the Publications section of the site.