Colin Keane confident Tarnawa has the speed for St Mark's Basilica clash

Record-breaking rider Colin Keane says he is not concerned about the 1m2f Irish Champion Stakes trip for Tarnawa at Leopardstown on Irish Champions Weekend.

Speaking on a Zoom call organised by Horse Racing Ireland on Tuesday, Keane reported Tarnawa to be firmly on course for the Irish Champion for which she is a best-priced 5-2 chance.

Last season's Breeders' Cup Turf heroine is a triple Group 1 winner and landed the Prix de l'Opera over ten furlongs last season, but there are question marks over the Dermot Weld-trained mare reverting to a mile and a quarter.

But Keane, who rode a fastest ever century of winners on Saturday, said: "Tarnawa is coming back a couple of furlongs and that shouldn't be a problem. She's not slow – she travels strongly and has a good turn of foot over a mile and a half. Dropping back to ten furlongs won't be much of an issue."

He added: "It looks a very good race. St Mark's Basilica has been very good this term and so has Poetic Flare. If they turn up it's going to be a very strong contest.

"These are the races you want to ride in as a jockey, you get the biggest buzz out of riding in them. Riding the best horses in the best races and against the best jockeys, that's why you do it and I'm looking forward to it."

Colin Keane and Dermot Weld (left) will be teaming up with Tarnawa in the Irish ChampionCredit: Patrick McCann

Tarnawa has been kept fresh for the second half of the season by Weld. She bolted up in the Group 3 Ballyroan Stakes at Leopardstown on her first start since her memorable Breeders' Cup triumph, and Keane reports things have gone well since.

He said: "I got to sit on her last Friday morning. We did a routine swinger and she seemed very well. She seems to be a much stronger mare this year. She had a good break after the Breeders' Cup last year and came back in quite late, which was always the plan.

"She has done very well over the winter, probably better than they'd have thought as she's taken a bit of work to get her where she is now."

Asked about whether Tarnawa will have enough speed to live with St Mark's Basilica and Poetic Flare over the trip, Keane responded: "I think so. She's not a slow mare but she takes her time to warm into her races. She finishes very well as we've seen in the past, and if it's lovely good ground I don't think the trip will be an issue."

Keane has an enviable list of horses to choose from over the two-day bonanza. He could ride either Acanella or Soul Search in the Matron Stakes, while Duke De Sessa has the option of the KPMG Champion Juvenile and the National Stakes.

Dr Zempf, Juncture and Maker Of Kings are others who could make it a weekend to remember for the champion jockey, who has set his sights on breaking Joseph O'Brien's 2013 record of 126 winners.

Keane, who has 104 wins under his belt, said: "When we got to the hundred, the next logical thing to think about was the record. It's only in the last week or so that I paid any attention to it. It's very doable if things keep going the way they are. Fingers crossed that we can. We'll give it a go anyway."

Irish Champion Stakes
Paddy Power: 9-4 St Mark's Basilica, 5-2 Tarnawa, 4 Poetic Flare, 8 Mishriff, 12 Love, 14 Addeybb, Snowfall, 16 bar

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