Group Two Champions Juvenile Stakes Leopardstown Guide 2023

Joe Glayshier | @joeglayshier

Leopardstown - September 08 2023
Leopardstown 13:15
6(4)
Christophe Soumillon

Democracy

J: Christophe Soumillon
T: A P O'Brien
N/A
Age: 2
Weight: 9-5
OR: 96
Days: 29

Aiden O'Brien sends three runners to the Group Two Champions Juvenile Stakes at Leopardstown on Saturday in the form of Capulet, Diego Velazquez and Democracy. The latter arrives at this contest as the least fancied of the O'Brien trio, which seems to be justified, having followed a debut win at Curragh with finishes of sixth, seventh, seventh and fourth since that success. Those runs have come at a variety of levels, but he has failed to make his mark in both grouped and listed contests.

He feels like an unlikely victor here. Christophe Soumillon will do the steering.

Leopardstown - September 08 2023
Leopardstown 13:15
5(8)
W J Lee

Deepone

J: W J Lee
T: P Twomey
N/A
Age: 2
Weight: 9-5
OR: 100
Days: 29

Paddy Twomey sends one of his horses to this grouped event at Leopardstown on Saturday in the form of Deepone. The two-year-old has made a good start to his career so far, recording two victories out of three here at Leopardstown by two-and-a-half-lengths and at Killarney by three-and-a-half-lengths before finishing a narrow second to Warnie in the Listed Churchill Stakes at Tipperary last month.

This requires a step up but one of his victories came over this trip and it would be no surprise to see him up to the task here. William Lee is booked to ride.

Leopardstown - September 08 2023
Leopardstown 13:15
7(2)
Ryan Moore

Diego Velazquez

J: Ryan Moore
T: A P O'Brien
N/A
Age: 2
Weight: 9-5
OR: N/A
Days: 28

Aiden O'Brien has three runners in the Group Two Champions Juvenile Stakes at Leopardstown on Saturday in the form of Democracy, Capulet and the market favourite Diego Velazquez. The two-year-old comes into this contest on the back of a relatively comfortable win at Curragh last month, winning by just under five lengths when priced as the 2/5fav.

This duo of Ryan Moore and O'Brien won this race last term with Auguste Rodin and and are once again favourites to win here at 4/7 with the promising Diego Velazquez, who surely has more to improve on.

Leopardstown - September 08 2023
Leopardstown 13:15
4(7)
Seamie Heffernan

Capulet

J: Seamie Heffernan
T: A P O'Brien
N/A
Age: 2
Weight: 9-5
OR: N/A
Days: 25

Aiden O'Brien sends three runners to this group two contest at Leopardstown on Saturday in the shape of Democracy, Diego Valezquez and Capulet. The latter arrives at this contest on the back of a promising debut run at Dundalk last month, beating the Donnacha O'Brien trained Huxley by just under a length over a mile before heading here for a first grouped outing.

He kept on well that day and should be open to a lot more progress. Seamie Heffernan is booked to ride here, as he did last month.

Leopardstown - September 08 2023
Leopardstown 13:15
8(3)
Colin Keane

Formal Display

J: Colin Keane
T: G M Lyons
N/A
Age: 2
Weight: 9-5
OR: N/A
Days: 21

Ger Lyons sends one runner to the Group Two Champions Juvenile Stakes at Leopardstown on Saturday in the shape of Formal Display. The two-year-old made an encouraging start to racing life last time out on debut at the Curragh last month, finishing three-and-a-quarter-lengths behind winner Atlantic Coast over seven furlongs to claim second when priced at 9/4 joint favourite.

It's extremely likely that there will be improvements from Formal Display in the future but this requires him to take a big step forward and that might be tough in this company. Colin Keane will do the steering.

DateCourseDistanceTypeWeightPosition
09/09/23LEO8Gd9-56
19/08/23CUR7Gd/Y9-72
Leopardstown - September 08 2023
Leopardstown 13:15
3(5)
Gavin Ryan

Bremen

J: Gavin Ryan
T: Donnacha Aidan O'Brien
N/A
Age: 2
Weight: 9-5
OR: 93
Days: 29

Donnacha O'Brien sends one runner to this group two event at Leopardstown on Saturday in the form of Bremen. The two-year-old followed up a second-place finish on debut at Tipperary with a one-and-three-quarter-length win over one mile at Killarney a couple of months ago to confirm early promise. However, he only managed fifth of six on his first outing in listed company at Tipperary last month, and he could've done with a bigger test.

There could still be more to come from him but others make more appeal here. Gavin Ryan will do the steering.

Leopardstown - September 08 2023
Leopardstown 13:15
2(1)

Bad Desire

J:
T: Joseph Patrick O'Brien
N/A
Age: 2
Weight: 9-5
OR: N/A
Days: 35

Joseph O'Brien sends two runners into the Group Two Champions Juvenile Stakes at Leopardstown on Saturday in the shape of Atlantic Coast and market outsider Bad Desire. The latter arrives here on the back of finishing second on debut in a Galway maiden over one mile at the beginning of last month. The two-year-old finished just under three lengths behind Navy Seal and now arrives here with plenty of potential.

This is a step up from that race but the outsider has every chance of going well here, despite this being a tough test.

DateCourseDistanceTypeWeightPosition
16/09/23CHA9GS9-06
05/08/23GAL8.5Hy9-72
Leopardstown - September 08 2023
Leopardstown 13:15
1(6)
Dylan Browne McMonagle

Atlantic Coast

J: Dylan Browne McMonagle
T: Joseph Patrick O'Brien
N/A
Age: 2
Weight: 9-5
OR: N/A
Days: 21

Joseph O'Brien boasts two runners in this group two event in Ireland on Saturday in the form of market outsider Bad Desire and Atalantic Coast. The latter currently sits second in the market after winning Curragh maiden on debut last month by just over three lengths to fellow runner Formal Display. He's sure to progress and there's every chance he will go well here, and is up there with the runners highly regarded in this contest.

Dylan McMonagle will do the steering here.