The world’s leading stayer Kyprios has seven rivals to beat if he is to gain a second success in the Comer Group International Irish St Leger, one of four Group 1 World Pool races on day two of Irish Champions Festival at the Curragh on Sunday.
The winner of the race in 2022, Kyprios could only manage second place behind Eldar Eldarov when an odds-on favourite for Aidan O’Brien 12 months ago and this time two more English challengers, the Marco Botti-trained Giavellotto and Karl Burke’s Al Qareem, as well as two from Germany, Waldadler and Nastaria, are among those attempting to lower his colours.
Three horses trained closer to home are also there to take him on. Willie Mullins’ Vauban, the Adrian Murray-trained Crypto Force and his own stable companion The Euphrates complete the eight-runner field.
Archie Watson’s dual Group 1 winner Bradsell and the George Boughey-trained Believing head the 18 runners in the Group 1 Bar One Racing Flying Five Stakes. A typically strong raiding party also features the Clive Cox-trained Kerdos, Ed Walker’s Makarova and the Karl Burke-trained Beautiful Diamond.
The home defence is led by last year’s winner Moss Tucker, trained by Ken Condon and Adrian Murray’s Bucanero Fuerte, both three-time Curragh winners. Supplementary entry Givemethebeatboys runs for Jessica Harrington with Matilda Picotte representing Kieran Cotter.
Successful in the Group 2 Alpha Centauri Debutante Stakes at the Curragh last month, the Aidan O’Brien-trained Bedtime Story bids to stretch out her unbeaten record to five in the Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes. There are five runners in all and O’Brien also goes with his two-time winner Lake Victoria and Exactly. Posing bigger threats to Bedtime Story might be the Ger Lyons-trained Red Letter and Ollie Sangster’s Simmering which was supplemented for the race earlier this week.
Unbeaten in three starts at the Curragh, Henri Matisse heads the eight contenders for the Goffs Vincent O’Brien National Stakes. His trainer Aidan O’Brien, whose win in the race last year with Henry Longfellow was his first in seven years, also runs Rock Of Cashel and The Parthenon. Charlie Appleby has a far stronger recent record and supplementary entry Aomori City bids to give him his fourth success in the race since 2018. Hugo Palmer runs Seagulls Eleven as he chases a first Irish Champions Festival winner while Adrian Murray’s Hill Road along with Joseph O’Brien’s Cowardofthecounty and Scorthy Champ are three more locally-trained hopes.
The Moyglare “Jewels” Blandford Stakes has attracted a field of 10 with Purple Lily a likely favourite to give Paddy Twomey his second win in the race after La Petite Coco landed the Group 2 event in 2021. Heading the opposition are the Dermot Weld-trained Elizabeth Jane, Noel Meade’s Caught U Looking and both American Sonja and Lumiere Rock, two of Joseph O’Brien’s four runners.
The first of Sunday’s eight races is the 26-runner Irish Stallion Farms EBF Bold Lad Sprint Handicap which sees the lightly-weighted Keke go in search of a fourth straight win for Edward Lynam, a two-time winner of the race. Lynam also runs his two other course and distance winners Heavenly Power and Jon Riggens while Fozzy Stack is represented by the recent Naas Group 3 winner Shandy. Ger Lyons’ My Mate Alfie and the Archie Watson-trained Saint Lawrence share top-weight with Pat Foley’s Tango Fire, Andy Oliver’s The Highway Rat and the Sheila Lavery-trained Torivega close in behind.
French raider Spirit d’Or, trained by Gavin Hernon, Jessica Harrington’s Gloriously Glam, the Noel Meade-trained Lethimfly and Joseph O’Brien’s Viking Invasion are among the 24 hopefuls for the Tattersalls Ireland Super Auction Sales Stakes while the 14-runner field for the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Northfields Handicap features Johnny Murtagh’s recent winner Take Heart, Joseph O’Brien’s last-gasp Irish Cambridgeshire hero Wigmore Street, the Michael Halford & Tracey Collins-trained Slieve Binnian and Ross O’Sullivan’s Longbourn.
Click here for the declared runners for day two of Irish Champions Festival at the Curragh on Sunday
Ground
Straight Course: Good
Round Course: Good, Good to firm in places
Selective irrigation will commence on round course
Weather Forecast
Dry today and tomorrow with possibility of 3 to 4mm of rain, Saturday night into Sunday morning. Mainly dry thereafter
Track
Racing on grandstand side with stalls in centre for sprints
Where to watch
RTE live coverage races 2, 3, 4,5 and 6
ITV live coverage races 1, 2, 3 and 4
Fox Sport (USA) live coverage races 3 and 4
Racing TV and their associates, live coverage all races
Tote World Pool
Races 3, 4, 5 and 6
Admission
Adult €35
Seniors and students under 25 €25
Curragh Bundles from €42
Under 18s Free accompanied by adult
Times
Gates open 11.30am. 1st race 1.50pm
Transport
Free shuttle bus from Kildare and Newbridge Towns and Stations and Poplar Square in Naas
Entertainment
Moyglare Kids Zone and family carnival with free activities
Live music throughout venue