All-bar one of the eight runners in the G1 Irish Champion Stakes Day had previous wins at the highest level to their name, so Luxembourg’s game victory in the feature race at Leopardstown was fully deserving of the World Pool Moment of the Day accolade.
Having been injured earlier in the season, Luxembourg was on a recovery mission to fulfil the huge reputation that surrounded the horse since his two-year-old season, so a huge congratulations has to go to his groom and work rider who have done so much work to get him back to his best.
Speaking after the win, Derek Hennessy, Luxembourg’s groom, said: “It means everything. I’ve looked after him since he was a yearling and he’s always been a fantastic horse. Aidan [O’Brien] has done a wonderful job with him, as has Killian, who rides him every day.”
Work rider Killian Hennessy, added: “I said to Aidan that he didn’t feel like the same horse that ran in the G3 Royal Whip, that’s how much he’s improved. Fitness-wise and strength-wise he’s a different horse, and to get him back from where he was with his injury to where he is now is a huge achievement.”
Luxembourg will now be entered into the draw for the World Pool Moment of the Year, which will be voted on ahead of British Champions Day at Ascot on 15th October. The winning connections will receive £34,000.
Derek and Killian Hennessy, groom and work rider for Luxembourg, speak to Tom Stanley after picking up their World Pool Moment of the Day prize.