Latest news with #SavalBegLevmossStakes
RTÉ News
16-05-2025
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Aidan O'Brien concerned despite Kyprios' win at Leopardstown
Kyprios claimed a third victory in the Saval Beg Levmoss Stakes at Leopardstown, although trainer Aidan O'Brien expressed some concern about his star stayer's movement following the race. The seven-year-old was following a familiar route, having won last month's Vintage Crop Stakes before heading for this Group Three contest – the same path he took before his Gold Cup victories at Royal Ascot in 2022 and 2024, when he also enjoyed unbeaten seasons. Sent off a 1-14 favourite to make it two from two this year, Kyprios settled well enough for Ryan Moore as stablemate Mont St Michel set the early gallop and he looked the winner turning into the straight. Dallas Star and Satin did not go down without a fight though, with Moore having to push Kyprios out to beat that pair a length and a half and a length and a quarter respectively. O'Brien said: "He did exactly as he always does and that should put him right for Ascot. "Ryan was happy that he did everything he asked of him. He's an incredible horse really." The Ballydoyle handler was not entirely satisfied with Kyprios' movement after the race, adding: "He came back in perfect and when he went to walk off (out of the winner's enclosure) he was moving a little bit gingerly in front. "We'll check him out and obviously he's scanned and X-rayed before he runs every day. Hopefully it's just a sprung shoe or something like that." Italy (4-9 favourite) had earlier got the O'Brien team off the mark as Wayne Lordan steered him to a cosy three-quarter-length success in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden. O'Brien said: "He was never away before so he would have been very green, and they went a good gallop. "He has a bit of quality and Wayne gave him a lovely ride. He taught him plenty and he will have learned a lot from that. "He could come back here for the Tyros (Stakes, 24 July)." All eyes were on Reaching High in the closing Leopardstown Lady Riders Handicap as Willie Mullins saddled his first runner for the King and Queen. Previously trained by Michael Stoute in Britain, Reaching High was sent off the 5-2 favourite in the hands of leading amateur Jody Townend for the mile-and-a-half affair. Walhaan set out to make all, building up a handy advantage before running out petrol in the final furlong, allowing Reaching High and Not Just Any Eagle to sweep through with the post in sight. It was neck and neck at the line, with Not Just Any Eagle (10-1) putting his head down at the right moment to edge a short head victory over the royal contender, although he had to survive a stewards' inquiry before his win was confirmed. Mullins' son Patrick said: "It was a brilliant run, and Jody gave him a fantastic ride. He just ran out of road. "We think that will bring him on nicely and hopefully we can have him ready for Ascot. "We're looking forward to having some fun with him and it would be magic if we could get a winner for the royals at Royal Ascot."
Powys County Times
16-05-2025
- Sport
- Powys County Times
Kyprios completes Ascot preparations with Saval Beg hat-trick
Kyprios claimed a third victory in the Saval Beg Levmoss Stakes at Leopardstown, although trainer Aidan O'Brien expressed some concern about his star stayer's movement following the race. The seven-year-old was following a familiar route, having won last month's Vintage Crop Stakes before heading for this Group Three contest – the same path he took before his Gold Cup victories at Royal Ascot in 2022 and 2024, when he also enjoyed unbeaten seasons. Sent off a 1-14 favourite to make it two from two this year, Kyprios settled well enough for Ryan Moore as stablemate Mont St Michel set the early gallop and he looked the winner turning into the straight. Dallas Star and Satin did not go down without a fight though, with Moore having to push Kyprios out to beat that pair a length and a half and a length and a quarter respectively. O'Brien said: 'He did exactly as he always does and that should put him right for Ascot. 'Ryan was happy that he did everything he asked of him. He's an incredible horse really.' The Ballydoyle handler was not entirely satisfied with Kyprios' movement after the race, adding: 'He came back in perfect and when he went to walk off (out of the winner's enclosure) he was moving a little bit gingerly in front. 'We'll check him out and obviously he's scanned and X-rayed before he runs every day. Hopefully it's just a sprung shoe or something like that.' Italy (4-9 favourite) had earlier got the O'Brien team off the mark as Wayne Lordan steered him to a cosy three-quarter-length success in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden. O'Brien said: 'He was never away before so he would have been very green, and they went a good gallop. 'He has a bit of quality and Wayne gave him a lovely ride. He taught him plenty and he will have learned a lot from that. 'He could come back here for the Tyros (Stakes, July 24).' All eyes were on Reaching High in the closing Leopardstown Lady Riders Handicap as Willie Mullins saddled his first runner for the King and Queen. Previously trained by Sir Michael Stoute in Britain, Reaching High was sent off the 5-2 favourite in the hands of leading amateur Jody Townend for the mile-and-a-half affair. Walhaan set out to make all, building up a handy advantage before running out petrol in the final furlong, allowing Reaching High and Not Just Any Eagle to sweep through with the post in sight. It was neck and neck at the line, with Not Just Any Eagle (10-1) putting his head down at the right moment to edge a short head victory over the royal contender, although he had to survive a stewards' inquiry before his win was confirmed. Mullins' son Patrick said: 'It was a brilliant run, and Jody gave him a fantastic ride. He just ran out of road. 'We think that will bring him on nicely and hopefully we can have him ready for Ascot. 'We're looking forward to having some fun with him and it would be magic if we could get a winner for the royals at Royal Ascot.'
Irish Examiner
16-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Kyprios should have class to prevail
Irish preview All eyes will be on legendary stayer Kyprios when he bids for a third win in tonight's Saval Beg Levmoss Stakes at Leopardstown. Now a seven-year-old, the sixteen-time winner (eight at Group 1 level) is being prepared for a tilt at a third Ascot Gold Cup next month – he won the race in 2022 and 2024 – and is following the same path as last year, having won the recent 'Vintage Crop' at Navan on his recent seasonal debut. A very high-class performer, whose career was interrupted by a serious injury which his 2023 campaign to just two runs, Kyprios normally does just enough in his races and, in Navan, he had to be driven out to beat Enfranchise (second in a German Group 2 on Sunday) by two lengths. Unbeaten in seven starts last year, Kyprios is a phenomenal performer and, although not a betting proposition today, at a very prohibitive price, he's a horse to savour by all racing enthusiasts. Ryan Moore is making the dash from York, where he rides Continuous in the Boodles Yorkshire Cup (3.45.) to renew his formidable partnership with Kyprios, his only mount on the card. The opening two-year-old maiden, the first of the season over seven furlongs, might develop into another head-to-head between Ballydoyle and Glenburnie, on the back of two such clashes in Naas last Saturday. This time, Aidan O'Brien relies on the 200,000 Guineas Wootton Bassett purchase while Ger Lyons runs the home-bred, Juddmonte-owned Mehmas colt Star Chamber. These newcomers face Donnacha O'Brien's Ipanema Beach, fourth to the impressive Charles Darwin on his debut at Navan, with the market likely to point us in the right direction. Perhaps, Italy will prevail. Willie Mullins will break new ground when saddling Reaching High, in the colours of the British king and queen, for the Leopardstown Lady Riders Handicap. Now 11lb higher than when registering his only win, at Wolverhampton last August, he's a dual-purpose prospect, worthy of note. But Joseph O'Brien's Beyond Your Dreams, successful on the flat at Listowel last September, makes plenty of appeal, returning to the level after a hurdle campaign which yielded a maiden win at Fairyhouse in December, beating Slurricane, who went on to perform creditably in the 'Booodles' at Cheltenham off a mark of 126. Beyond Your Dreams, a four-year-old filly, has scope for improvement on the flat off 73 and has solid claims. Still in the early days of the 'post-Rachael' era, Henry de Bromhead has a number of obvious chances on tonight's Kilbeggan card, the likely pick being recent Down Royal maiden hurdle winner Nastya, on her fencing bow, in the Cooke's Bar And Restaurant Beginners Chase. Noel Meade's recent Bellewstown winner Kaptain Bay should run a very big race in the Kilbeggan Handicap Hurdle.
Powys County Times
15-05-2025
- Sport
- Powys County Times
Kyprios seeking Saval Beg hat-trick
Kyprios is the star of the show at Leopardstown on Friday night as he takes his usual route to Royal Ascot in the Saval Beg Levmoss Stakes, while later on the card Willie Mullins will saddle his first runner for the King and Queen. Aidan O'Brien's champion stayer has twice won this Group Three event en route to the Gold Cup and will be a very warm order to secure a hat-trick after his winning seasonal return at Navan in the Vintage Crop Stakes. However, racegoers at the Dublin track will have to wait until the very last race for a sight of the King and Queen's silks as Reaching High makes his debut for the Mullins team in the Leopardstown Lady Riders Handicap. The four-year-old is another who could be bound for Ascot next month and will be partnered by Jody Townend as connections get a feel for their new recruit. 'I'm delighted to train for Their Majesties and it's something we talked about at previous Ascots. It's an honour to have such owners in the yard,' said Mullins. 'The horse arrived after Cheltenham this year and this is a nice opportunity to get a run into him. It's probably going to be a little short of his best trip and he's had a small wind procedure since his last run, which could bring about some improvement in the future. 'Friday evening will tell us where we are with him and it's perhaps a little quick, but I need to get a run into him to make a plan from there. We would hope he's an Ascot Stakes horse in an ideal world and this will give us all an opportunity to see how he is. 'Jody is delighted to ride him and I'm delighted to put up the five-time champion female amateur – nowadays we say Paul Townend is Jody's brother rather than the other way round.'
