Irish Championship Stakes: Sealiway to bypass Leopardstown and start the route to Ascot in La Coupe de Maisons-Laffitte at ParisLongchamp | Racing news

Last year’s Sealiway Champion Stakes winner will miss the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown and begin their route back to Ascot in La Coupe de Maisons-Laffitte at ParisLongchamp on Sunday, live on Sky Sports Racing.

Francis-Henri Graffard’s four-year-old has been seen four times this year, most notably finishing second behind Skalleti in the Prix d’Harcourt and third in the Prix Ganay before going home in second place. fifth in the Prix d’Ispahan during his latest outing in May.

Before that, he won the Ascot end of season feature while coached by Cedric Rossi, and the same contest is on the agenda again for the foal and the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe as well. so – a race he finished fifth term last term.

“He’s not going to Ireland, he’s going to compete on Sunday in a Group of Three with more than 10 outerwear,” said Graffard. “He’s in very good form and that would be a good starting point for an Arc and Ascot fall campaign.”

Another regular show at Ascot’s season-ending finale was Graffard’s seven-year-old gelding Avengerwinner of the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes in 2020 after finishing second the previous year.

Last season, he finished fourth behind Baaeed in the same competition and was shortlisted to return to the Berkshire meeting again in October.

A run in the Prix du Moulin on Sunday will come first, then Graffard can aim for the Prix Daniel Wildenstein at the same track – victory would be a third for the chestnut.

“He is very strong, he will run in the Prix du Moulin de Longchamp at the weekend,” said the coach. “We expect some rain over the next couple of weeks, the horse is healthy and it has a spot in the Prix Daniel Wildenstein, so we’ll see – then it’ll go to Ascot, for sure.”