Latest news with #MoyglareStud
Powys County Times
28-06-2025
- Sport
- Powys County Times
Suzie Songs in tune to upset Flushing Meadows
Colin Keane conjured a fine tune from Suzie Songs to edge out Flushing Meadows in a thrilling finish to the Jebel Ali Racecourse And Stables Anglesey Stakes at the Curragh. Keane and trainer Ger Lyons may have been disappointed to see Lady Iman lose her unbeaten record only 35 minutes earlier but quickly gained their revenge on Aidan O'Brien and Ryan Moore with the Moyglare Stud-owned daughter of Starspangledbanner. A winner on debut at Cork, Suzie Songs was sent off the 7-2 second-favourite for this Group Three event and it was the market principals who came to the fore inside the final furlong, as Suzie Songs and 1-4 favourite Flushing Meadows engaged in a duel to the finishing post, with only a short head separating the pair at the finish. Still unbeaten – but not the one you perhaps expected! Suzie Songs (Starspangledbanner) downs 1/4F Flushing Meadows to land the Group 3 @JebelAliRC Anglesey Stakes for @ctkjockey, Ger Lyons and @MoyglareStud @curraghrace — Racing TV (@RacingTV) June 28, 2025 Lyons had won the race with his Group One star Babouche 12 months ago and was delighted to find the scoresheet once again, as he now eyes stepping up in trip for the Moyglare Stud Stakes back at the Curragh in September. He said: 'It was a last-minute decision (to run), but the beautiful thing about training for Moyglare is you are allowed to do that, there are no set plans. 'I'm blessed with owners like that, I wake up and I change my mind and do whatever. 'We were watching the entries, it wasn't the plan and she hasn't worked since Cork and I just threw her in. Suzie Songs — Live (@IrishRacing365) June 28, 2025 'I thought it got to her today so we'll give her a wee break and we'll come back for the Moyglare. It's a race I'd love to put on the CV. 'We've a horse last night that ran well (Justiciar) and this filly. We have a nice bunch of horses heading that route. 'Colin said in Cork that she wanted further and sticking to the original plan her next race would have been seven, but this presented itself during the week with no entries, so here we are.'
Irish Examiner
13-06-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Magical Hope wins the Group 3 Darley Munster Oaks
Paddy Twomey saddled two leading fancies in the Group 3 Darley Munster Oaks, the feature on Friday's card in Mallow, and it was Magical Hope who gave the trainer his third win in the last four renewals of the race. Colin Keane was on board the former French-based four-year-old and gave the 3-1 chance a positive ride. Kicking from the front just after turning for home, she soon had the remainer of the field in trouble, and won with a nice bit in hand, confirming French form with Lemsairbat, who is now with Joseph O'Brien. It was just a second run in Ireland for the filly, and though she brought plenty of experience from her native France, she is the type who could advance to better company. The winner's stablemate, Bubble Gum, was caught behind the pace and shuffled back in the early stages, but failed to pick up with the opportunity final came. Victory was the completion of a double for Keane, who took the opening race, the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies' Maiden aboard the Ger Lyons-trained Suzie Songs. Bred for further, the Moyglare Stud filly had to show a smart turn of pace to get up late to deny Havana Anna, the pair impressively clear of the promising Skydance. 'We're one of the lucky stables in the country that we get well bred horses sent to us from Juddmonte, Moyglare, and people like that,' said Lyons. 'She's been a queen, and she's been ready for a while, but we just took our time with the fillies this year. 'She's a lovely filly and did what we've seen at home and there should be plenty of improvement. She wants seven, as you can see with the pedigree, but I wanted to start her at six. The few I have at home; I want to start them at six. I've been patient, so hopefully it starts rewarding because the last couple of weeks have been frustrating, to say the least.' The admirably consistent Fort Vega, trained by Sheila Lavery, gained reward for his consistency by taking the €100,000 Mallow Handicap under Rory Cleary. Ridden patiently, initially, the five-year-old, who missed most of last season, came through strongly to win a shade cosily. Said the winning rider: 'His last two runs were very good, and the trip and conditions suited him today, and I was very lucky to get the ride on him. He's a true seven-furlong horse, and it was a lovely race to ride today. There were nice even fractions and he got a smooth run through, and did it well going to the line.' Andy Slattery has lofty ambitions for Powerful Nation, and understandably so after the three-year-old ran out an easy winner of the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Midsummer Sprint Stakes under the trainer's son, Andy. 'We knew he'd come on for his run at Naas,' said Slattery senior. 'He hit the front a long way out, and he doesn't like that. He idles in front, and I think he'll improve again from today. 'I have a few races picked out for him. He'll go for the Sapphire Stakes next, leading towards the Flying Five, and then the Prix de l'Abbaye, provided everything works out.' Elsewhere on the card, Shay Wallace rode his first winner on the turf, doing so aboard the Jimmy Barcoe-trained Nouvel Espoir, while Danny Murphy's Kilmood Susan proved far too good for her rivals in the five-furlong maiden. Refreshment, ridden by Gavin Ryan, completed an across-the-cards double for trainer Mark Fahey, adding to the earlier success of I Bid You Ajou at Fairyhouse. The former was completing back-to-back winner, while the latter was winning for the third time in little more than a fortnight.
Daily Mail
27-05-2025
- General
- Daily Mail
Two-time Ascot Gold Cup winner Kyprios is forced into shock retirement - less than a month before showpiece race
Aidan O'Brien has been forced to say goodbye to the most successful flat horse of his career after Kyprios was retired through injury. Kyprios had been 6/4 favourite to win the Ascot Gold Cup for third time but after his warm up race, at Leopardstown on May 16, the seven-year-old left the paddock moving gingerly and it subsequently emerged he had aggravated an old problem. Given his value to joint-owners Coolmore and Moyglare Stud, the decision was made to draw stumps on one of the greatest stayers of the modern era to preserve him for a life in the breeding sheds – as a ten-time Group One winner, there will be no shortage of interest. That statistic of double figure successes at the highest level elevated Kyprios to a level no other flat racer has managed during O'Brien's career at Ballydoyle; the seven-year-old's consistency and durability were extraordinary, not least as he overcame an issue in 2022 that threatened his life. 'Kyprios was just the most incredible horse,' said O'Brien. 'Obviously, we had to be ultra-respectful of him. When he was a little bit sore after his run at Leopardstown, we were always not going to take any risks with him. Everybody felt the same way. 'It was his attitude combined with his ability to stay. Then, it was the class he had to go along with those things. He was an incredibly sound horse, and his mind was absolute concrete, too. He was laid-back all his life, that's the way he was naturally.' He was laid-back but he also had a ferocious will to win and his campaign in 2024 will go down as one of the best there has ever been, as he won seven consecutive races, including the Ascot Gold Cup (for a second time), the Goodwood Cup and Longchamp's Prix Du Cadran. His last success in The Saval Beg Stakes, achieved at odds of 1/14, highlighted his superiority in the staying division and the memorable aspect of that balmy evening was of bookmakers in the ring reporting that none of them had taken a single penny as racegoers wanted to admire him. Illinois, a winner at Chester's May meeting, is the horse likely to step forward from O'Brien's squad to run in the Gold Cup but there is no question the chestnut with the big white face's absence will be keenly felt in Tipperary by all who have been associated with Kyprios. 'You do get attached to horses like him because they have been around for such a long time,' said O'Brien, who did not bat away suggestions that Kyprios deserved to be mentioned in the same breath as his four-time Gold Cup winner Yeats. 'He's just been so very special.' Before Ascot comes into view, Epsom will be on O'Brien's mind and it is looking increasingly likely that Delacroix, who has had a similar preparation to Galileo and High Chaparral, will be the stable's number one contender for the Betfred Derby, ahead of stablemate The Lion In Winter. 'It would be very difficult for Ryan (Moore) not to ride him,' said O'Brien. 'Delacroix is really well and his two trials went perfectly. Everything is going to plan. He's big and powerful and is maturing well. We're all very happy.'
Irish Times
27-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Times
Aidan O'Brien's outstanding stayer Kyprios retired after aggravating old injury
Kyprios, arguably the best stayer seen in Europe for decades, was retired on Tuesday after aggravating an old injury. Aidan O'Brien's seven-year-old stalwart had been on course to win a third Ascot Gold Cup next month but took a couple of false steps after his latest success at Leopardstown. Although a positive bulletin was quickly released afterwards, O'Brien and the horse's ownership – including the Moyglare Stud in whose colours Kyprios won 17 of his 21 career starts – have opted to retire the horse. Kyprios missed almost all of 2023 due to a life-threatening infection in a joint but returned to enjoy an unbeaten 2024 and had won his first two starts of this season. READ MORE 'He's been an unbelievable horse really. We had to be very respectful of him. In every way he is perfect but just when he pulled up a little bit edgy the last day we couldn't take any risks,' O'Brien said. 'It was the first time he'd taken a false step since he recovered from his serious injury. Everyone just wanted to do right by him. He's been the most incredible horse, he had an incredible mind to go with his incredible ability. 'I don't think any other horse in the world would have come back from the injury that he had.' Kyprios was twice a winner of the Ascot Gold Cup, traditionally the top staying prize on the flat, in 2022 and 2024. In both of those years he also landed the Irish St Leger, the Goodwood Cup and France's top marathon contest, the Prix Du Cadran. Dean Gallagher on Kyprios at Aidan O'Brien's yard ahead of last year's Irish Champions Festival. Photograph: Morgan Treacy/Inpho It was his first success in the Longchamp contest that supplied perhaps his finest individual victory. Ridden as usual by Ryan Moore, the chestnut routed his opposition by 20 lengths despite hanging dramatically to his left across the wide straight. The result prompted the respected Timeform organisation to give Kyprios a career high rating of 131, superior to the peak 128-mark given to O'Brien's record four-time Gold Cup hero Yeats. Not since Ardross 40 years earlier had a European stayer been rated higher. Timeform commented: 'Put simply, this was one of the best performances by a stayer since the early-80s as he won by a record-equalling margin for a Group One, passing the post 20 lengths in front of his closest pursuer despite almost running sideways for much of the final furlong.' O'Brien pointed to that Cadran as a standout: 'There was that day in France when he won by a long way. He was just galloping home really. He'd been round once, he could see where he needed to go and he just wanted to get back! 'He was an incredible horse. He was just always in second gear most of the time. That was just unusual that Prix du Cadran, they all fell away, nothing could go with him and he got left in front and got a bit lonely.' The unbeaten 2022 season looked likely to be Kyprios' last after he sustained an injury to a fetlock joint that got infected early in 2023. Kyprios ridden by Ryan Moore winning the Ascot Gold Cup in 2022. Photograph:At one point, thoughts of the son of Galileo racing again were the least of his ownership's concerns. But he did return and ran twice that autumn, finishing runner up in both the Irish Leger and at British Champions Day. Given an injury free run in 2024, Kyrpios won all seven of his starts including a one-length victory over Trawlerman in the Ascot Gold Cup. The Coolmore partnership confirmed his retirement on Tuesday, stating: 'Due to an aggravation of an old ringbone lesion we have decided to take no chances with Kyprios.' Prior to his victory in the Savel Beg Stakes earlier this month, O'Brien had floated the idea of a tilt at the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in October, a reflection perhaps of a stayer with unusual levels of class. 'The staying scene has been blessed with horses like Yeats and Stradivarius this century, lauded for their longevity as much as their ability and Kyprios deserves to be recognised in a similar light,' Timeform commented last year. The retirement has thrown open betting on next month's Gold Cup with O'Brien's colt Illinois promoted to favourit by some firms. However, it was the French star, Candelari, winner of a Group One at Longchamp last weekend, that proved to be the big mover, cut to 3/1 ahead of another Ballydoyle star, Jan Brueghel. Another horse heading to Ascot is Lake Forest, although at the other end of the distance spectrum with the one-mile Queen Anne Stakes his target. The William Haggas-trained runner, winner of the Gimcrack as a two-year-old and victorious in a hugely lucrative race in Australia last autumn, ran fourth in a Group Three at Longchamp at the weekend.
