'The Irish Champion's the target' - White Birch poised for clash with Delacroix at Leopardstown, with the Arc to follow

Delacroix's rivals in next week's Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes are set to include White Birch, with connections hoping their patient approach with the high-class grey can pay off with a stellar close to the season.

The five-year-old entire will make his eagerly awaited return at Leopardstown on Saturday week to bolster a challenge that is now without Ombudsman, John Gosden having ruled the Juddmonte International winner out of a third blockbuster clash with Delacroix.

White Birch landed the Ballysax over the same course and distance as the Irish Champions Stakes in his three-year-old campaign, before going on to finish behind Auguste Rodin in the Derby. 

He reversed form with that rival in May 2024 to win for the first time at the highest level in the Tattersalls Gold Cup. Due to a setback, he then missed a head-to-head with City Of Troy in the Eclipse and was subsequently ruled out for the campaign. 

He returned this season in fine form, running Los Angeles to a neck on his comeback at the Curragh in May. He was well fancied to land successive Tattersalls Gold Cups but endured a luckless passage in finishing a never-nearer fourth, beaten less than two lengths, with Los Angeles winning again.

Due to the prevalence of firm ground over the summer, connections decided to take a pull with the son of Ulysses, but he is now set to return at the Irish Champions Festival before tackling the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe next month.

George Murphy: "He seems in super form and goes to Leopardstown. We couldn't be happier with him"Credit: Patrick McCann

George Murphy, assistant trainer to father John, said: "White Birch is training very well, seems in super form and goes to Leopardstown. We couldn't be happier with him.

"We were hoping to run in the Royal Whip before Leopardstown, but the ground went against us so we decided to skip that and the plan was then to go straight to Leopardstown. 

"The Irish Champion Stakes and the Arc has been the target, especially given, on the law of averages, you've a better chance of getting suitable ground that time of year. We don't want firm in the going description; good ground would be fine."

White Birch and the Johnny Murtagh-trained Zahrann look likely to provide the sternest domestic opposition to Aidan O'Brien's Coral-Eclipse winner Delacroix, while Anmaat is still in contention for Owen Burrows' Lambourn stable.

Colin Keane, who has partnered White Birch on his last five starts, will take the ride if available.

Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes (Leopardstown, September 13)
Paddy Power: 4-5 Delacroix, 4 Shin Emperor, 11-2 Zahrann, 7 Anmaat, 10 White Birch, 12 Whirl, 16 bar.

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