KYPRIOS is the star attraction on a really good card at Navan on Saturday afternoon as the brilliant stayer makes his return to action in the Vintage Crop Stakes.
The mile-six Listed event has long been a starting point for Gold Cup hopefuls and Kyprios won the race two years ago before going on to score at Royal Ascot.
He had a tremendous year in 2022, establishing himself as the leading stayer around with four Group One wins including a stunning performance in the Prix du Cadran to end the campaign.
It was a real show of his superiority then when he hung badly left in the straight, almost stopped to a walk, and still won by 20 lengths.
Unfortunately we didn’t get to see the real Kyprios last year with a bad infection in his joint threatening his career early on.
He did reach the track to run in the Irish Leger in September but was under pressure from a fair way out before finishing second to Eldar Eldarov.
On his final outing he ran a big race at Ascot when going down by a neck to Trawlerman but it wasn’t the same level he had shown previously.
With a clear run this year better will be expected and recent reports have been very promising from trainer Aidan O’Brien.
It would be wonderful if he could get back on track and really light up the Cup races this season.
It’s unlikely he’s going to be trained to the minute for this but he should have enough class to deal with these.
The nearest rival on paper is the Joseph O’Brien-trained Dawn Rising, winner of the Queen Alexandra Stakes at Royal Ascot last season.
He was two-and-a-quarter lengths behind Kyprios in the Irish Leger last year and could put it up to him if the Ballydoyle horse is short of fitness.
The Group Three Salsabil Stakes is the feature event on the eight-race card and it’s hard to look past Purple Lily in the 10-furlong contest.
Paddy Twomey has some lovely fillies with Classic aspirations this season, including this unbeaten daughter of Calyx.
She really impressed with the way she strode clear of a good yardstick in Portland on her return at Naas last month and this looks like a nice stepping stone now before a possible tilt at the Irish 1,000 Guineas.
The Listed Committed Stakes has a more open look to it and Givemethebeatboys may be able to give a few pounds to his rivals in the race, run over just shy of six furlongs.
Jessica Harrington’s charge kept top company last season after winning the Group Three Marble Hill Stakes and his form reads very well.
He was third to Bucanero Fuerte in the Phoenix Stakes before finishing his campaign with a fine run to finish fourth to Vandeek in the Middle Park.
The handicapper has him the best of these off an official mark of 109 and if he runs up to that juvenile form he’d be hard to beat.
