Some thrilling encounters are on the cards for the eight-race World Pool/simulcast meeting from Leopardstown on Saturday (9 September).

In the G1 Irish Champion Stakes – regularly one of the strongest 2000m races to be run anywhere – English and Irish Derby winner Auguste Rodin (Ryan Moore) encounters an old foe in the shape of Epsom runner-up King Of Steel – subsequent winner of Royal Ascot’s G2 King Edward VII Stakes (2392m).

Despite stellar performances over those trips and then doing best of the Classic generation when third in Ascot’s G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2392m), bullish sentiments are being expressed regarding the grey colt’s drop to this more speed-favouring trip.

Tom Pennington, racing manager to King Of Steel’s owners Amo racing, explains: “I think coming down to a mile and a quarter (2000m) will benefit him. We’ve seen in those mile and a half (2400m) races that he’s too keen early on. If they go a properly good gallop at Leopardstown it will play to his strengths.”

Aidan O’Brien has won this showpiece race for the past four years. The trainer was highly praised for bringing Deep Impact’s son Auguste Rodin back from a dismal show in Newmarket’s 2000 Guineas (1600m) to win the Derby (2405m), the UK’s most famous Classic. The Ballydoyle maesto now needs to repeat the trick after Auguste Rodin was arguably an even bigger flop in Ascot’s King George. Vibes from the stable indicate hope that the outstanding Auguste Rodin will turn up again on Saturday.

Older horses have won the Irish Champion Stakes in four of the past ten years and O’Brien also fields Luxembourg (Seamie Heffernan) who gained a dramatic half length victory over French challenger Onesto in this race last year. Onesto is also back for another crack at this prestigious prize in which he will be ridden by Frankie Dettori for the first time. “One place better than last year will do,” joked his Chantilly-based trainer Fabrice Chappet this week.

The older brigade of stars also include Nashwa (Hollie Doyle) and Alflaila (Jim Crowley). Nashwa is the super-tough triple Group 1 winning filly and a seasoned international traveller but now having her first start in Ireland. Alflaila, supplemented this week, is fast upwardly mobile and winner of his last four starts most recently with a brave display in late July’s G2 York Stakes (2051m), especially admirable after a 294-day absence since his previous start.

Tahiyra (Chris Hayes) will be well supported to confirm her status as the best filly of her generation at this trip by winning Saturday’s other Leopardstown G1, the 1600m Matron Stakes. She followed up success in the Irish 1000 Guineas (1600m) with another G1 winning strike in Royal Ascot’s Coronation Stakes (1594m). “Her preparation has gone good and she will be helped by expected good to fast ground,” says Hayes.

She must tackle older rivals for the first time and they include 2022 Irish 1000 Guineas winner Homeless Songs (Oisin Murphy), trained like Tahiyra by Dermot Weld. “Homeless Songs has had her problems but if each of them pitched up on the day 110% I wouldn’t like to pick between them.” says Hayes, the regular rider of both fillies.