RACING

Ryan McElligott

It was a decidedly low-key week on the racing front but this weekend sees the fourth edition of Irish Champions Weekend taking place, while Listowel’s ever-popular Harvest Festival gets under way in the Kingdom on Sunday.

In all probability, Champions Weekend won’t have a spectacular to match last year’s epic edition of the Irish Champion Stakes. However, a host of the country’s best flat horses will be in action over the two days and such is the strength of Aidan O’Brien’s team that odds of 25/1 about him winning all five Group 1 contests over the two days look far from fanciful.

If O’Brien were to win four or five of the Group 1s on offer at the weekend, that would also put him in a strong position to better the late Bobby Frankel’s record of 25 top-level victories in a year.

Meanwhile, Listowel looks set to pull off a major coup in attracting former Gold Cup winner Coneygree for the Guinness Kerry National next Wednesday. The 2015 Cheltenham hero’s presence will unquestionably be the focal point of the seven days.