Constitution River v Purview? Dermot Weld could unleash Breeders' Cup fancy against Ballydoyle big gun in Irish Champion Stakes

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Dermot Weld is set to unleash his two most exciting colts at the Irish Champions Festival as big Breeders' Cup Turf fancy Purview and the unbeaten Porto Vecchio are being lined up for the two-day extravaganza the weekend after next.

Purview will definitely run, but a decision on whether he will tackle Constitution River in the Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes or contest the Group 3 Kilternan Stakes on the same card at Leopardstown will not be made until next week.

Purview has proved a revelation this season. He won a Listed race at the Curragh on Irish Guineas weekend by six lengths and backed it up with a Group 3 victory back at that venue the following month.

After that latest success, Weld had no hesitation in nominating the Breeders' Cup Turf at Keeneland as the son of Kingman's ultimate aim and that remains firmly on the agenda.

"The Breeders' Cup is still very much the plan," said Weld. "Purview is very well in himself and he will run at Leopardstown next weekend. He's been training well and I'm very satisfied with what he's been doing. He's a nice colt.

"Whether he will run in the Irish Champion Stakes or the Kilternan Stakes, I'm not yet sure. We will make a call on that closer to the time and see what race suits him best but, at the moment, I'm pleased with what he's been showing me."

Purview is a 12-1 shot with BoyleSports for the Irish Champion Stakes over 1m2f, while the Kilternan Stakes is over 1m4f and is a race Weld has farmed since the turn of the century with nine victories since 2000. The most recent of those wins came with Duke De Sessa in 2022.

Unibet make Purview 5-1 to win the Breeders' Cup Turf on October 31, although Coral and Ladbrokes are offering 8-1.

Porto Vecchio (left) wins the 7f colts and geldings maiden at Down Royal in JulyCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Weld will also let promising juvenile Porto Vecchio take his chance in the National Stakes at the Curragh on Sunday week.

The Frankel colt, who is a brother to the stable's smashing filly Homeless Songs, created quite the impression at the Curragh on his debut when defying a drift in the market to win a 7f maiden by half a length.

The runner-up that day has since won a maiden at Galway, and Weld is pleased with how Porto Vecchio has progressed since we last saw him in the middle of July.

Weld said: "Porto Vecchio is on track for the National Stakes and I'm satisfied with him. He's done well since his maiden and I've been very pleased with the way he is progressing. He's a nice colt.

"Both he and Purview are pleasing me and the plan is for both of them to run the weekend after next."

Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes (Leopardstown, September 12)
BoyleSports: 11-10 Constitution River, 11-4 Item, 6 A Boy Named Susie, 8 Almaqam, Ombudsman, 12 Benvenuto Cellini, Purview, 14 Bay City Roller, Diamond Necklace, 16 bar.

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