Kyprios is led to the winner’s circle (Breandán Ó hUallacháin)
By Breandán Ó hUallacháin
Ascot Gold Cup winner Kyprios won the Group 1 Comer Group International Irish St Leger at The Curragh, Ireland, on Sunday.
In the final classic of the Irish flat season, the six-year-old gave trainer Aidan O’Brien and jockey Ryan Moore another success in the one mile six-furlong contest.
A winner of the Irish St Leger in 2022, Kyprios returned from an 11-month injury layoff last season to finish runner-up in the race to Eldar Eldarov, the only Irish classic open to all ages.
With horses from Ireland, England and Germany competing in the feature on day two of the 2024 Irish Champions Festival, the star of the show gave the large attendance at the County Kildare venue what they had come to see – an impressive performance from a top-class stayer.
Sent off the 2/5 market favourite, Kyprios ran in his usual relaxed style as his stable companion, The Euphrates, took the six-runner field along at a rather sedate pace.
With Wayne Lordan on the leader The Euphrates (40/1) quickening the pace six furlongs from home, this played to the strengths of the hot favourite who has proven his stamina numerous times during his hugely successful career to date.
Ryan Moore on the Moyglare Stud Farm/Coolmore partnership-owned chestnut, made his move as they entered the home straight at The Curragh.
His biggest danger at that stage looked to be the Melbourne Cup prospect, Vauban (8/1), the winner of the Lonsdale Cup at York, England, last month, and a former Triumph Hurdle winner at the Cheltenham Festival, though the British-trained Giavellotto (3/1), under rider Oisín Murphy, also threatened momentarily.
Kyprios did enough to win, crossing the finishing line with two and a quarter lengths in hand on the Willie Mullins-conditioned Vauban in the hand of William Buick, with Marco Botti’s Giavellotto a further three-quarters of a length back in third.
The winning rider, Ryan Moore, showed his admiration for the winning Kyprios, stating:
“He knows plenty about what he’s doing. He just takes a while to engage but he didn’t really even open up today. He’s just an unbelievable horse. He’s the best stayer I rode. He stays very well. He’s got a lot of class. He’s got a lot of speed.”
A delighted Aidan O’Brien spoke of the injury that had previously kept Kyprios off the track from October 2022 to September 2023:
“He got an infection in a joint capsule but there was no pressure to do anything with him, whether he raced or didn’t race last year, there was absolutely no pressure,” the Ballydoyle handler explained.”
The County Wexford-born O’Brien spoke of the high regard in which he holds the son of now deceased Coolmore Stud stallion Galileo:
“He’s very special. We could see what he did there today. He’s a very special horse and every year he seems to be improving and that looks to be his best again. Ryan said he won so, so easy. And here at The Curragh. Special place, special race.
“He’s one in a million. He doesn’t have to run again this year. He looks very fresh there. He could run in an Arc [Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at ParisLongchamp], at any time, but it’s important to mind him and do the right thing for him. There’s only one Arc. He has a serious engine. He doesn’t get tired. He just keeps going.”
Despite O’Brien’s mentioning of the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at ParisLongchamp, Kyprios’ season is now likely at an end with a record of five wins from five races this season.
O’Brien confirmed that Kyprios would remain in training next year, and one expects a defence of his Gold Cup crown at Royal Ascot in June and the Comer Group International Irish St Leger in September at The Curragh will likely feature high on his racing schedule.
