Frankie Dettori set to partner Dermot Weld's Fascinating Rock in Champion Stakes this weekend

The build-up to this weekend's Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown is starting to gather some serious momentum after it was announced that Frankie Dettori will be on board the Dermot Weld trained Fascinating Rock in the feature race.

It is a rather surprising turn of events after Weld's retained rider Pat Smullen opted to partner Harzand(pictured above) in the race, a horse on which he won the Irish and English Derbies this summer. It provides an intriguing backdrop to the race seeing as Smullen has been on board Fascinating Rock for his last 15 races, leading him to eight wins.

“It’s a good ride for a very good trainer. It’s smashing and we’re lucky to have him,” said Dettori’s agent, Ray Cochrane.

“Frankie’s not ridden for Mr Weld in the time I’ve been doing his rides.”

Weld has yet to win the Irish Champion Stakes while Dettori has his name on that particular roll of honour six times, including last year on Golden Horn.

“With Pat Smullen staying loyal to Harzand, Frankie was the obvious choice. He is coming to Leopardstown anyway to ride in the Matron Stakes,” Weld to the irishfield.ie

“The intention is to run the two of them and they both have pacemakers as well, so we expect to have four runners in the race.

“There is some rain forecast for Friday which should leave the track spot on. As it stands they both run.”