Saturday is shaping up as a red-letter day on both sides of the Atlantic after trainer John Oxx announced Sea The Stars could take his place in the G1 Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown.

The news comes just a day after it was confirmed Rachel Alexandra will take on older males for the first time in the G1 Woodward Stakes at Saratoga this Saturday.

Oxx said the Champion Stakes remained in the balance if there was too much give in the ground.  “Once the word good is in the going description then I wouldn’t rule out running him,” Oxx told Racing Post UK.  “Even if it’s on the slow side of good he will still start.”

Sea The Stars will be going for five Group 1 victories in a row on Saturday after claiming the English 2000 Guineas, Epsom Derby, Coral-Eclipse and Juddmonte International this year.

“He has had a tough schedule,” Oxx said. “But he is an exceptional horse and has a tremendous constitution.”

Sea The Stars (Cape Cross) will face the usual barrage of Ballydoyle runners with Aidan O’Brien responsible for 6 of the 11 original nominations including Mastercraftsman.

Sea The Stars looked vulnerable when Mastercraftsman made him work overtime in the Juddmonte but Oxx revealed the colt had bounced back immediately after the York event.  “We certainly haven’t being making life easy for him,” Oxx added.  “You wouldn’t ask every horse what we have asked of him.  But nothing seems to phase Sea The Stars.”