Recap of the opening day of the 2025 Irish Champions Festival.

Royal Ascot wrapped up on Saturday with a mix of blowout victories and dramatic head-to-head battles. Three group stakes, including an exciting renewal of the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee (G1), led the action.

The historic 2 1/2-mile Gold Cup (G1) on Day 3 of Royal Ascot came down to a tremendous homestretch battle in which 2022 winner Kyprios continued an against-all-odds comeback to reclaim his title.

Trainer Aidan O’Brien picked up the 400th Group 1 win of his career when 2023 Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) hero Augustin Rodin pounced to a determined triumph in the Prince of Wales’s (G1) at Royal Ascot.

The Canadian International (G1) resumed from a one-year hiatus on Sunday, and Godolphin trainer Charlie Appleby provided a sense of continuity at Woodbine.

The only Breeders’ Cup Challenge event at Newmarket Saturday was the Royal Lodge (G2), but the day’s top-level juvenile prizes, the Middle Park (G1) and Cheveley Park (G1) for fillies, also have implications for “Future Stars Friday” at Santa Anita.

One of the sharpest maiden winners earlier in the season, Carla’s Way took a while to make good on that debut promise, but she broke through in style in Friday’s Rockfel (G2) at Newmarket.

A subpar fifth behind favored stablemate Savethelastdance in the Irish Oaks (G1) in a Curragh bog, Coolmore homebred Warm Heart turned the tables on much quicker ground in Thursday’s Yorkshire Oaks (G1).

Rebel’s Romance capped a brilliant Breeders’ Cup for Godolphin when driving to a course record-setting victory in Saturday’s Turf (G1).

Godolphin’s homebred Modern Games accelerated in the nick of time in Saturday’s Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) at Keeneland, and in the process, the 1.38-1 favorite joined an exclusive club.

The Platinum Jubilee S. (G1) served as feature event on closing day of Royal Ascot, and it didn’t disappoint with a thrilling drive to the finish line.

Hot Rod Charlie likely got just what trainer Doug O’Neill wanted from his Dubai World Cup (G1) prep in Friday’s $350,000 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 2 (G2).

The third time was the charm for Dream of Dreams in Saturday’s Diamond Jubilee S. (G1) on closing day at Royal Ascot.