The Fugue has reversed her recent form against Al Kazeem to claim a first Group One victory in mixed company with a dazzling display in the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown.

There was plenty of concern among her connections before the race as the forecast rain finally materialised, forcing Aidan O'Brien to take out his leading hope, Declaration Of War.

However, after walking the track twice, trainer John Gosden was happy to let The Fugue (4-1) take her chance and his decision paid dividends.

In the absence of Declaration Of War and Princess Highway, just six went to post and Kevin Manning set a decent gallop aboard Irish Derby winner Trading Leather.

O'Brien's Kingsbarns was an early casualty with Joseph O'Brien easing him down around four furlongs (800m) from home after the colt reportedly lost his action.

That left just three in the mix as the race got serious, with outsider Euphrasia and Parish Hall folding as the pace turned up a notch.

Buick bided his time before going for home over a furlong out and while Al Kazeem switched to challenge between The Fugue and Trading Leather, he just could not peg back the Lord Lloyd-Webber-owned filly.

"We walked the track twice before racing and I'm glad we decided to run now," Gosden said.

"There's a sense of relief. The ground yesterday would have been perfect but luckily the heavy rain has only really started now.

"If we'd got that three hours before racing, we wouldn't be standing here now."

The Fugue had finished behind Al Kazeem at Royal Ascot and again in the Eclipse at Sandown and Gosden was delighted to see her reverse that form.

The trainer will now consider the options for his star filly with another trip to the Breeders' Cup meeting, where she finished an unlucky third last year, a possibility along with next month's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.