Eldar Eldarov beats Kyprios in Irish St Leger: Report, reaction, replay

Kyprios carried all before him on the staying scene during a 2022 campaign which culminated in a 20-length success in the Group 1 Prix du Cadran at ParisLongchamp.

Kyprios had missed a large chunk of 2023 with a joint infection which could have brought the curtain down on his career but was sent off the 4/6 favourite for a race he won 12 months ago despite trainer Aidan O'Brien expressing concerns that this would come too soon.

Held up in a close last by Ryan Moore, he had Eldar Eldarov in his sights with the eventual winner shadowing the front-running Yashin into the straight. Moore started to get more serious as the field straightened up but Kyprios couldn't match the turn of foot shown by Eldar Eldarov as last year's English St Leger winner opened up a clear advantage under David Egan.

The pair crossed the line three and a half lengths to the good from Kyprios.

Some layers saw enough to trim Kyprios by a point to 5/1 for the Long Distance Cup at Ascot on British Champions Day with Eldar Eldarov a general 8/1 from 14s.

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It was a first winner in Ireland for Egan despite growing up across the road from the Curragh.

"It's not that I haven't been trying!" he joked.

"I've been coming over a couple of times every year for the last couple of years but I haven't really had any luck but we've done it today. 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. It’s what dreams are made of and for all the team connected with the horse.

“He had a setback coming here for the St Leger Trial so the boss played it safe and took him home to make sure he’d be all right and it was a blessing in disguise.

“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. I was probably spoiled riding out of my granddad’s (Dessie Hughes) on the yard’s hack but he taught me so much and this win means so much."

Of Eldar Eldarov he said: "He's magic, he's very special.

"He's a horse that had been missing the break on his last couple of runs, we did a little bit of gate work with him and we realised that putting the blind on and taking it off as the gates opened was getting him to jump a lot sharper and that was pivotal in getting the position that I wanted in second place to sort of dictate the race and go when I felt was necessary.

"I had a lot of faith in my horse and he hasn't really got the rub of the green this year. I thought he ran a nice race at Goodwood but we gave Quickthorn too much of a free rein the last day, we were beaten maybe a short-head and a head for second place, he ran a lovely comeback race at York and I think two and a half miles at Ascot stretched him, today is his optimum trip."

Winning trainer Roger Varian said: “It’s a big thrill to win a race like the Irish St Leger and I’m delighted to get Eldar Eldarov winning again. He’s run some great races in defeat this year and it’s nice to win two Legers.

“He’s entered up in France on Arc weekend and there is the two-mile race at Ascot. We might consider 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.”

He added of the winning rider: “David has been with us since he was 15 or 16 and he’s done really well. He’s come up through the ranks and he’s taken his opportunities. I’m delighted for him and he gave him a very straightforward, uncomplicated ride today.”

Varian also provided an update on King Of Steel, who is faring well following his Leopardstown exertions.

The trainer said: “He’s fine this morning and we thought he ran a great race. He’s still very lightly raced and inexperienced. Hopefully we’ll have some big days ahead with him.

“I’m not sure where he’ll go next. He has various options and we’ll take our time to decide. We’ll get him home and see how he is, not rush into anything.

“Hopefully one more race this year and look forward to next year with him.”

O'Brien eyes Champions Day

Meanwhile, Champions Day appears on the agenda for Kyprios having thrilled his handler on his return.

O’Brien told Racing TV: “I was delighted. 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 (Moore) to be happy is something to really look forward to .

“He’s going to come on a lot and I can’t believe he’s here. He got here three weeks ago for a canter and we thought there was a chance and then every day he has progressed.

“Ascot looks lovely for him and he will have a nice bit of time before now and then. He will love going round Ascot and it would be great to see him come back to what he was.

"It was a great comeback run.”

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