CREDIT SIDE OF THE LEGER
THE Irish St Leger remains the most likely next objective for Kyprios following his thrilling victory in the Goodwood Cup.
Aidan O’Brien’s colt claimed Gold Cup glory at Royal Ascot last month, which was somewhat overshadowed by the Stradivarius saga that followed, with both trainer John Gosden and owner Bjorn Nielsen criticising Frankie Dettori’s ride aboard the popular stayer.
A mouthwatering rematch played out on the Sussex Downs, with Andrea Atzeni replacing Dettori in a race Stradivarius had won on four occasions, while the presence of defending champion Trueshan added further spice.
But while Stradivarius went down fighting in second and Trueshan performed admirably in third, it was Kyprios who once again came out on top, much to the delight of his breeders and part-owners Moyglare Stud Farm.
“I didn’t think he got the credit he deserved after Ascot and it was nice to see him prove a point at Goodwood,” said Moyglare’s Fiona Craig.
“Stradivarius is a tough old campaigner. I think they’re going to run him in the Lonsdale Cup at York next and Kyprios won’t run at York, so I doubt they’ll meet again, but that’s two meetings and two wins for Kyprios.
Enclosure
“I think he deserves a bit of credit.” O’Brien nominated the Irish St Leger as a major target for Kyprios in the Goodwood winner’s enclosure.
What slightly complicates the issue for Moyglare is that his full-sister Search For A Song has already won the Classic twice and the team are understandably none too keen on the pair locking horns.
Craig added: “I think that (Irish
Leger) is the plan for Kyprios. We also have Search For A Song, who is going to run in the Irish Leger Trial, and we’ll have to figure it out after that.
“I don’t think the two of them will run against each other. They did that in the Vintage Crop at Navan earlier in the year and Kyprios won comfortably.
“I think Search For A Song may end up going back to France.”
What happens with Kyprios beyond the Irish St Leger remains uncertain.
Asked whether a tilt at the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe could come under consideration, Craig said: “That hasn’t been mentioned and that would be a question for Aidan — I haven’t even gone down that road.
“Aidan wants to go for the Irish Leger and we’ll just have to see where we go from there.”