Tomorrow's Curragh leg of Champions Weekend faces both international and domestic competition from Arc trials day in Longchamp and the start of the 2014 Listowel festival. But HQ's triple-Group One card worth €1.7 million will surely make Leading Light an aptly named winner of the 100th Palmerstown House Irish St Leger.
Even with two other previous Leger winners up against him, Aidan O’Brien’s star stayer is potentially in a different league after his course-and-distance trial defeat of the 2012 Irish Leger hero Royal Diamond proved a gruelling Ascot Gold Cup win hadn’t left a mark.
Leading Light also faces the 2012 Doncaster St Leger hero Encke, the horse that famously denied Camelot a Triple Crown.
Ground conditions mean that Dermot Weld relies on Pale Mimosa rather than Forgotten Rules.
Just a handful line up for the Goffs National Stakes and although Acomb winner Dutch Connection travels from Britain, Gleneagles has cast-iron credentials to give Aidan O’Brien a ninth win in the race.
The Moyglare appears to be a much more competitive affair and Ballydoyle’s Found, supplemented into the race, will have to be a bit special to cope with Cursory Glance after just a maiden appearance.
Cursory Glance has already taken in an Albany victory at Royal Ascot and chased home the lightening quick Tiggy Wiggy in the Lowther.
A €6 million classic winner like Chicquita would normally be something of a standout in a Group Two but last year’s Irish Oaks heroine is having her first start for Ballydoyle in the Blandford over ground and trip that should suit.
Guerre returns to action in the Flying Five with Joseph O' Brien up and the jockey also teams up with Willie Mullins for Lucky Bridle in the last. Meanwhile, at Longchamp, Frankie Dettori teams up with Ballydoyle for the 2013 Derby hero Ruler Of The World in the Group Two Prix Foy (3.25pm) in which Aidan O'Brien also runs Kingsbarns (Ryan Moore. ) Ballydoyle also run their American Grade One winner Adelaide in the Prix Niel (1.30pm) on a day when Treve defends her Prix Vermeille (2.45pm) crown.
