The ?1,000,000 Baileys Irish Champion Stakes is shaping up to be the race of the season.
Last year´s winner Azamour is on course for a repeat bid and according to H.H. Aga Khan´s racing manager Pat Downes the colt is 'extremely well since Newbury.'
Aidan O´Brien has three possible runners, Oratorio, Ace and Powerscourt.
The former is the most likely runner. O´Brien said today: 'Oratorio is a hard horse to get fit and will have three more pieces of work before a final decision about his participation is made. In his absence Ace would be a likely substitute. We are very happy with his work and he is on the upgrade. Powerscourt will probably return to America for his next race.'
Both Motivator and Grey Swallow are intended runners, but neither would want the ground to come up on the firm side, in fact Harry Herbert, speaking on behalf of the Ascot racing club said that Motivator would not run if the word 'firm' appeared in the ground description.
