A total of 11 remain in Irish Champion Stakes contention after this past weekend’s five-day forfeit stage. But there is only one horse that really matters and as it stands he remains on course.

Sea The Stars headed the entries for the Tattersalls-sponsored contest yesterday as his quest for a fifth consecutive Group 1 success now depends on the Gods above.

Sea the Stars’ trainer  “has constantly insisted that his champion three-year-old will not be risked on ground which he feels the three-year-old couldn’t run up to his rating of 133, although over the weekend the trainer did reveal that Sea The Stars’ participation will be considered once there is ‘good’ somewhere in the description, even if it is on the slow side.”

The Irish Champion Stakes is renowned as one of Europe’s premier races year in, year out, but the prospect of having both the Epsom Derby victor and Irish Derby winner Fame And Glory go head-to-head has meant that this year’s renewal could be set as one of the battles of the last decade.

Sea The Stars is the crowd pleaser, and although much rests on his already legendary hoofs,  even more rests on the weather and rainfall over Leopardstown racecourse between now and Saturday afternoon.