Tag: G1 Irish St Leger

Curragh Group 1 Double For Dubawi As Eldar Eldarov Takes The Irish Leger

Connections of Kyprios (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) can be satisfied that Sunday's G1 Irish St Leger went by without drama, but the glory was with KHK Racing's TDN Rising Star Eldar Eldarov (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}–All At Sea {GB}, by Sea The Stars {Ire}) as he returned to form to provide his sire with a group 1 double on the Curragh's star-studded card. Putting a largely underwhelming summer behind him, having been seventh in the G1 Gold Cup and fourth in the G1 Goodwood Cup, the 16-5 second favourite enjoyed a perfect tow from Yashin (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}) until taking over approaching two out.

With the 4-6 favourite Kyprios in pursuit, the Roger Varian-trained G1 St Leger hero had to keep it up but he kept answering David Egan to beat the Ballydoyle star by 3 1/2 lengths, with Dawn Rising (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) 2 3/4 lengths away in third. The field had been cut to four following the withdrawal of Emily Dickinson (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), but what this renewal lost in numbers it made up for in terms of quality with the market confidence in Kyprios notable.

For Egan, the win was especially important given his connection to the area. “I had my first Classic winner last year, but to do it where I grew up at Osborne Lodge, which is at the five-furlong pole, means a lot,” he said. “It's what dreams are made of and for all the team connected with the horse. My first main job was riding out for Willie McCreery, who I saw today, and he was a great man to learn from and gave me a lot of experience and taught me a lot. He has a tendency to miss the break, but the race went so smooth, he was a race-fit horse today and was as tough as nails.”

Eldar Eldarov, who had earned TDN Rising Star status on his debut at Nottingham in October 2021, also won the G2 Queen's Vase last June but with three of his four outings after the St Leger seeing him finish out of the frame there were the beginnings of doubts as to whether he was going the wrong way. Varian was relieved, but unwilling to accept that he had been disappointing this year. “He's run some great races in defeat this year and it's nice to win two Legers,” he said. “He's entered up in France on Arc weekend and there is the two-mile race at Ascot. He seems to be really best at a mile and six furlongs, but there aren't too many of those races around. He deserves to run one more time this year and it's most likely Ascot.”

Aidan O'Brien said of Kyprios, “A lot of people have done a lot of work to get him to here–all of the vets have done incredible work to get him back. We didn't think we would ever see this day, so to have him back and be happy and for Ryan to be happy is something. He's going to come on a lot and Ascot looks lovely for him. He will have a nice bit of time before now and then and will love going round there. It would be great to see him come back to what he was and this was a great comeback run.”

 

Pedigree Notes

Putting the icing on the cake for Dubawi on the afternoon, Eldar Eldarov hails from a family of Kirsten Rausing's finest performers. Out of the Listed Prix de Liancourt winner All At Sea, whose first foal was the listed-placed A La Voile (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) and fourth is this year's G3 Gallinule S. third Kingswood (GB) (Roaring Lion). The second dam is the three-times group 1-winning Albanova (GB) (Alzao), responsible for the G3 Dubai Duty Free Legacy Cup winner Algometer (GB) (Archipenko), the Listed Stand Cup S. scorer Alignak (GB) by the Sea The Stars's son Sea The Moon (Ger) and the listed winner Alwilda (GB) (Hernando {Fr}).

Alwilda has made her name by producing the six-times group 1-winning Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe heroine Alpinista (GB) (Frankel {GB}), while the listed-winning third dam Alouette (GB) (Darshaan {GB}) also produced Albanova's dual G1 Champion S.-winning full-sister Alborada (GB) whose descendants include the G2 City of York S. winner Shine So Bright (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) and the G1 British Champions Fillies & Mares S. and G1 Yorkshire Oaks runner-up Albaflora (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}).

All At Sea is also connected to the G1 Prix Royal-Oak heroine Allegretto (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), Alzao's G2 Nassau S. winner Last Second (Ire) who is in turn the dam of the G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulians-winning sire Aussie Rules, as well as the pair of Sadler's Wells group 1 winners Yesterday (Ire) and Quarter Moon (Ire). Her unraced 2-year-old filly by Study of Man (Ire) is named A La Belle Etoile (Ire), she has a yearling colt by Lope De Vega (Ire) bought as a foal for 300,000gns by Brooklyn Bloodstock at Tatts December who is due to sell at next month's Tatts Book 1 Sale, and a filly foal again by Study Of Man.

Sunday, Curragh, Ireland
COMER GROUP INTERNATIONAL IRISH ST LEGER-G1, €600,000, Curragh, 9-10, 3yo/up, 14fT, 3:01.72, g/y.
1–ELDAR ELDAROV (GB), 137, c, 4, by Dubawi (Ire)
     1st Dam: All At Sea (GB) (MSW-Fr, $133,622), by Sea The Stars (Ire)
     2nd Dam: Albanova (GB), by Alzao
     3rd Dam: Alouette (GB), by Darshaan (GB)
TDN Rising Star. (£110,000 Ylg '20 GOFOR; £480,000 2yo '21 ARQDEA). O-KHK Racing Ltd; B-Miss K Rausing (GB); T-Roger Varian; J-David Egan. €348,000. Lifetime Record: G1SW-Eng, 10-5-1-0, $1,202,836. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Kyprios (Ire), 137, h, 5, Galileo (Ire)–Polished Gem (Ire), by Danehill. O-Moyglare/Magnier/Tabor/Smith/Westerberg; B-Moyglare Stud Farm Ltd (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. €120,000.
3–Dawn Rising (Ire), 137, g, 6, Galileo (Ire)–Devoted To You (Ire), by Danehill Dancer (Ire).
1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. O-J P McManus; B-Barronstown Stud (IRE); T-Joseph O'Brien. €60,000.
Margins: 3HF, 2 3/4, 5. Odds: 3.20, 0.67, 3.50.
Also Ran: Yashin (Ire). Scratched: Emily Dickinson (Ire).

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Eldar Eldarov Remains on Track for the Irish St Leger

Last season's Cazoo St Leger winner Eldar Eldarov (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) will try and add the Irish equivalent during this year's Irish Champions Festival.

“The target for him is to go to the Irish St Leger and that is very much still on the cards at the moment,” said Chris Wall, racing manager for owners KHK Racing Ltd. “He's grand and it's all systems go for that.”

The 4-year-old was originally slated to contest the G3 St Leger trial earlier this month, however, was subsequently declared a non-runner after not travelling well.

“We don't know why because he's never had that problem before,” he explained. “He got upset travelling and they thought rather than carry on to Ireland they would bring him home. I think they had got into north Wales just beyond Chester.

“The worry was if you put him on the ferry and it deteriorated into something like colic then you are in the middle of the sea and you can't do anything about it. He just got his knickers in a twist about something so they brought him home.”

Trained by Roger Varian, Eldar Eldarov was second in his seasonal debut in the G2 Yorkshire Cup S. in May before finishing seventh in the G1 Ascot Gold Cup the following month. Most recently, he was fourth in the G1 Goodwood Cup S. on Aug. 1.

Varian indicated that KHK Racing-owned Sakheer (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}), the winner of last fall's G2 Mill Reef S., is likely to resurface later this fall in the QIPCO British Champions Sprint Oct. 21. He was last seen finishing 13th in the G1 Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot June 23.

“He's had a few niggly things after Ascot, but he's back in work and we're hoping to run him in something this autumn,” said Wall. “I don't think he'll be ready for the Haydock [Betfair Sprint Cup Sept. 9], that's not far away now so he won't make that. But we hope we might have him back for a run perhaps in the Champions Sprint and we'll go from there.

“It's been one of those years really where things haven't quite gone his way, but we hope we can get him back on track and if not we'll have to hope things go right for him next year instead.”

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Ben Coen, Mike Sheehy Bolster New South Wales’ Jockey Ranks

Two of Ireland's leading jockeys–Ben Coen and Mike Sheehy–will be plying their trade in New South Wales, Australia for the next few months. Coen, who is the number one jockey for conditioner Johnny Murtagh, and last year won the G1 Irish St Leger aboard Sonnyboyliston (Ire) (Power {GB}), will spend his time in Sydney with the Chris Waller stable.

“This opportunity gives me the chance to experience another style of racing,” he said. “I've never ridden trackwork with times as well, so that's an experience and something you can obviously take across to help you when you're race riding. Racing in Australia is very tactical so having some experience down here will give me a few more tools in my toolbox. You can never learn enough.”

Mike Sheehy's apprenticeship with Joseph O'Brien ended earlier this year with 104 wins and he will be based at Warwick Farm with the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace stables.

“I'm only young and I always wanted to spend a winter away from Ireland to help with my learning,” Sheehy said. “[Joseph O'Brien] advised me to come down to Australia. There have been a few riders from Ireland and England that have come to Australia, been successful and then gone back home more polished riders. Everyone tells me riding in Australia will sharpen me up as a jockey.”

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Kyprios Clinches Irish St Leger Success To Crown Memorable Season

Aidan O'Brien and Ryan Moore sugarcoated a wonderful Longines Irish Champions Weekend by bagging the G1 Irish St Leger with the Moyglare Stud-owned Kyprios (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}).

Sent to post a warm favourite at odds of 8-11, Kyprios found generously on the front end to hold off the determined challenge of Hamish (GB) (Motivator {GB}) and win by less than a length.

Kyprios has gone from strength to strength this season, with his Irish St Leger success coming off the back of top level triumphs in the Gold Cup at Ascot and the Goodwood Cup.

Search For A Song (Ire), a sister of the winner and a former dual Irish St Leger winner herself, ran a gallant race in third to lead home a one-three for Moyglare on an afternoon that the stud celebrated the 50th running of the Moyglare Stud S.

But the day belonged to Kyprios. He may not do anything fancy but his win on Sunday stretched his unbeaten record this season to five and O'Brien hailed him as everything you want in a stayer.

The champion trainer said, “He's very tough. He's very relaxed. He's always only in the gear that you want. Ryan gave him a great ride. 

“He's a horse that gets a trip but he's a lot of class and he's very relaxed, which is a massive help. It helps him to get the trip. He's very brave, very clear-winded, good mover and a great mind. It's a pleasure to have him.”

On future plans, O'Brien added, “It'll depend on what everyone will want to do with him and it was great Eva was here to see him today. He's very easy to deal with and it leaves him with a lot of options.

“He was extra lazy today. Maybe it was the soft ground that made him a little bit more laboured. He could go back to a mile and a half but obviously we would love to have him around for the Gold Cup for the coming years. He is a unique horse really.

“We'll see what everybody thinks and what way the ground is going to be (in ParisLongchamp for the Arc). He is only four and for a stayer he's very young. As we saw today, he only does the minimum so it's very hard to know what's in there really.”

Pedigree Notes

Kyprios hails from an outstanding Moyglare family. Polished Gem (Ire) (Danehill), the dam of Kyprios and Search For A Song, has also produced a G1 Prince Of Wales's S. winner in Free Eagle (Ire) as well as five other black-type horses.

 

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