Irish Champions Festival brings two of Ireland’s biggest Flat racing days together on September 12 and 13, with Leopardstown hosting the opening card and the Curragh staging the second day.
The official festival program lists seven Group 1 races across the weekend and more than €5 million in total prize money. The structure gives racing fans a concentrated look at leading middle distance horses, fillies, sprinters, stayers and juveniles before the European season moves deeper into its autumn championship phase.
Saturday at Leopardstown
Leopardstown opens the festival on September 12. The centerpiece is the Irish Champion Stakes, scheduled for 5:00 p.m. local time. The Group 1 contest is run over 2,000 metres and carries €1.25 million in prize money.
The Saturday card also features the Group 1 Matron Stakes and the Golden Fleece Stakes. The Golden Fleece has been promoted to Group 1 status for 2026, adding another top level juvenile race to the festival program.
Sunday at the Curragh
Final field update: The latest racecards confirm the main Sunday fields, giving OTB Bet a clearer picture of the four consecutive Group 1 races.
Moyglare Stud Stakes
Seven fillies are declared for the €400,000 Moyglare Stud Stakes over seven furlongs. Sun Goddess arrives with three consecutive wins, including a six length success at York in August. Green Empress won the Debutante Stakes at the Curragh, while Alpha and Dancing Destiny return after finishing close behind her in that race.
Flying Five Stakes
The €400,000 Flying Five is the pure speed test of the afternoon, staged over five furlongs. The current racecard lists 18 runners, creating one of the deepest fields on the Sunday program.
Vincent O’Brien National Stakes
Eight juveniles are declared for the €400,000 National Stakes over seven furlongs. Unbeaten Dr Rascal brings three wins from three starts. Giant Sequoia arrives after winning the Futurity Stakes over this course and distance, while Monogram steps directly into Group 1 company after an impressive Curragh debut victory.
Irish St Leger
Seven runners are declared for the €500,000 Irish St Leger over one mile and six furlongs. Scandinavia enters after wins in the Ascot Gold Cup and Goodwood Cup. Jan Brueghel and Curragh Cup winner Trustyourinstinct give the race additional proven staying depth.
The second day moves to the Curragh on September 13 and includes four consecutive Group 1 races. The official running order lists the Moyglare Stud Stakes at 2:50 p.m., the Flying Five Stakes at 3:25 p.m., the Vincent O’Brien National Stakes at 4:00 p.m. and the Irish St Leger at 4:35 p.m. local time.
The Irish St Leger is the fifth and final Irish Classic of the season. It closes a major sequence of championship races on a card that the festival says carries nearly €2.5 million in prize money.
Why the weekend matters internationally
Irish Champions Festival sits at a useful point in the global calendar. Leading horses can use the weekend as a major objective or as a bridge toward later targets such as the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, Breeders’ Cup and other autumn championship races.
The international relevance is also visible in the entry stage. Horse Racing Ireland reported strong overseas representation among the initial entries for the seven Group 1 races. Those early entries should not be treated as final starters, however. OTB Bet will wait for official declarations before publishing horse by horse race previews.
What OTB Bet will cover next
Once final declarations are published, OTB Bet will prioritize previews where the confirmed field creates a meaningful story. After the races, confirmed results will be covered with recaps that link back to permanent race guides rather than creating duplicate evergreen pages.
For broader international coverage, visit the Major Races hub and the Horse Racing News page.
Featured image: The Curragh Racecourse in County Kildare, photographed by Sarah777. The source image was released into the public domain through Wikimedia Commons.
