O’Brien shuffling long-distance pack in wake of Kyprios setback

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Aidan O’Brien is considering Plan B for his staying challenge this term, with reigning champion Kyprios a major doubt to defend his Gold Cup title at Royal Ascot.

The five-year-old carried all before him in the marathon division last season, winning each of six starts, including the Ascot showpiece, the Goodwood Cup, Irish St Leger and a tremendous 20-length success in the Prix du Cadran, achieved despite hanging badly across the track.

O’Brien revealed on Sunday Kyprios had suffered a setback, and he expanded on his injury issue when speaking to visiting media at his yard on Monday.

Kyprios (centre left) was the king of the staying division last year
Kyprios (centre left) was the king of the staying division last year (Adam Davy/PA)

He said: “I don’t think Kyprios is going to make the Gold Cup. He got a little bit of a joint and it’s not settling down. We will just have to wait and see. It’s one of those things.

“It happened a month ago and it’s just not settled – sometimes these things can settle very quickly and sometimes they don’t. He got an inner infection inside in the joint and it had to be flushed and then there was more infection, so it had to be flushed a second time.”

If as seems likely Kyprios does miss out, O’Brien has identified some possible deputies, headed by Emily Dickinson – winner of the Loughbrown Stakes when upped to two miles on her final start last term.

Saturday’s Dubai Gold Cup winner Broome is another contender, along with Changingoftheguard, who won the King Edward VII Stakes at Ascot when last seen.

Broome won in Dubai on Saturday
Broome won in Dubai on Saturday (Adam Davy/PA)

He added: “Emily Dickinson, Broome, Changingoftheguard is a possible – even though we probably won’t make a decision (yet).

“We were very impressed with Emily at the Curragh, she grew another leg when she went to two miles. I’m not sure whether Broome will stretch out that far (two and a half miles at Ascot), but you’d imagine he’ll be very happy at Goodwood, Irish Leger, the Melbourne Cup, those type of races.”

At the other end of the scale, Tenebrism will flex her sprinting muscles for the Ballydoyle team after trying her hand up to a mile last term.

O’Brien is eyeing an audacious Royal Ascot double, with the King’s Stand and Platinum Jubilee Stakes in mind.

Tenebrism (left) has a sprinting campaign on her agenda
Tenebrism (left) has a sprinting campaign on her agenda (Tim Goode/PA)

He said: “Tenebrism is going to go sprinting. She’ll probably start in one of the local sprints, she’s nearly ready to go, she was at the Curragh (on Saturday) and worked well.

“She’s a fast filly, I’d say five or six she’d be comfortable at. We’re thinking both with her, the five and the six – we thought she could do the two (at Ascot). We were dallying around her last year, seeing where we were going to go and but the minute we started sprinting, it was very obvious she was a sprinter.

“She’ll be trained differently, last year we were trying to stretch her out and she was still being very competitive at those distances, she’s just a good filly.

O’Brien also outlined some early-season juveniles to monitor, headed by a No Nay Never half-brother to Sioux Nation.

He said: “Alabama is one to watch, Battle Cry is another No Nay Never, Emperor Of Rome, a Ten Sovereigns filly called Brighter, I think they’re the more forward types. You’ll not go far wrong with Alabama, who is a brother to Sioux Nation.

“The Liffey is another one, His Majesty is another No Nay Never, Carnegie Hall, they’re some of the early-type ones.”

Clan Des Obeaux ruled out of Aintree return

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Paul Nicholls has lost a race against time to get Clan Des Obeaux ready for Aintree.

The dual King George VI Chase winner had been making good progress from a suspensory injury ahead of a planned return to action at the Grand National meeting, where he was set to defend his Aintree Bowl title.

The 11-year-old, owned by Paul Barber, Ged Mason and Sir Alex Ferguson, was last seen finishing second to Allaho in the Punchestown Gold Cup last April.

Clan Des Obeaux had been making strides in his rehabilitation, but Nicholls has decided he will not attempt a hat-trick in the race he won in 2021 and 2022 and wait until next term with the five-times Grade One winner instead.

He said: “We have run out of time to get him ready, so we will just have to wait until next season.

“He had a little bit of a suspensory problem and has been doing everything and coming along well.

“He did a strong piece of work last week away and it has just flared up again.

“The warning light is flashing and we’ve just not had enough time to get him right, so we’ve had to pull stumps for the season.

“Unfortunately, much as we and everyone has tried to get him ready, we’re not going to get there.”

Bravemansgame is still an Aintree possible
Bravemansgame is still an Aintree possible (Adam Davy/PA)

King George winner and Cheltenham Gold Cup runner-up Bravemansgame may head to Aintree, although the 13-times champion trainer admitted there are no guarantees.

He added: “Bravemansgame is not necessarily going. It’s still an option, always was.

“All those horses that went to Cheltenham, we are not making any decision until nearer the time.

“We have got plenty of time yet. He is a possible, along with Stage Star and all those. It’s not a definite but it’s a possible.”

Aidan O’Brien raises Kyprios Gold Cup doubts

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Leading stayer Kyprios has met with a setback which could prevent him from defending his Gold Cup crown at Royal Ascot.

Trained by Aidan O’Brien, Kyprios enjoyed the perfect season last year, winning all six of his races.

He progressed from scoring in the Vintage Crop and Saval Beg Stakes to go on to glory in the Gold Cup, Goodwood Cup, Irish St Leger and an amazing 20-length success in the Prix du Cadran, despite veering badly in the closing stages.

However, on a weekend when O’Brien saw another of his inmates, Broome, emerge as a Cup horse with a victory in Dubai, he revealed that the main player in the division could miss the first half of the campaign.

“With Kyprios we won’t rush him, we’ll take our time with him and see where we go. We’re looking at the autumn with him,” O’Brien told Racing TV.

“He got a little bit of a joint about a month ago and we just need that to settle down. If it does we’ll go on for Ascot and if it doesn’t we’ll have him for the autumn.

“Obviously there’s a lot of water to go under the bridge between now and then and we’ll play it by ear and slot them all in somewhere.”

Paddington books Classic trial ticket

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Aidan O’Brien is eyeing a Classic trial as a next port of call for Paddington following an impressive display in the Irish Racing Writers Carmel Kirwan And Loretta O’Hanlon Memorial Madrid Handicap at Naas.

Fifth on his Ascot debut in September before winning comfortably on his final juvenile start at the Curragh the following month, the Siyouni colt was the 6-4 favourite to make a successful reappearance over seven furlongs at Naas.

With Ryan Moore having hotfooted it back from Dubai to take the ride, Paddington travelled strongly for much of the contest and was pushed out to score by a length and three-quarters.

Ryan Moore and Aidan O'Brien with Paddington at Naas
Ryan Moore and Aidan O’Brien with Paddington at Naas (Brian Lawless/PA)

O’Brien said: “I’m very happy with him. He won very nice the last day and handled an ease in the ground. He probably will stay further.

“He will go into a trial now, maybe one of the French trials, to give him more experience.”

The Ballydoyle handler doubled up in the Dubawi Legend Irish EBF Fillies Maiden, but it was his apparent second string Jackie Oh who claimed top honours.

Red Riding Hood, second at Ascot on her introduction, was all the rage under Moore as the 4-6 favourite, but newcomer Jackie Oh – a daughter of Galileo out of Jacqueline Quest – proved too strong.

Of the 4-1 winner, O’Brien added: “She’s a very well-bred filly and handled the ground. She had a few holds ups last year and didn’t get to run. You would have to be delighted with her.

“She will go for a trial and I’d say she will get a bit further as well.”

The Listed Plusvital Devoy Stakes went the way of 9-2 shot Visualisation for Joseph O’Brien and Declan McDonogh.

The five-year-old was last of seven when last seen in action in the Group Three International Stakes at the Curragh in June, but bounced back to form in some style on his return – with a length and three-quarters separating him and the runner-up Sunchart.

Visualisation was a clear-cut winner of the Devoy Stakes
Visualisation was a clear-cut winner of the Devoy Stakes (Brian Lawless/PA)

The 2-1 favourite Martinstown finished last of eight.

“He loves heavy ground. Last year he didn’t get much of it and he had a little setback in the season as well,” said the winning trainer.

“He’s come back in really good nick and Declan gave him a great ride. He said there was a strip of ground that he thought was the best of it when he got on it and that was a help.

“He’s in the Alleged Stakes and we’ll keep him busy while the ground is heavy. He’ll probably have a bit of time off in the summer and come back for the autumn.”

Michael O’Callaghan has high hopes for Red Letter Bray (2-1) following his victory in the Kuroshio At Compas Stallions Maiden.

Sixth behind the top-class Auguste Rodin on his only previous outing last summer, the son of New Bay confirmed that promise with a short head verdict over 11-8 favourite Run Ran Run – providing champion jockey Colin Keane with his first winner of the new turf season in Ireland.

“He’s a nice horse and we have always liked him,” said O’Callaghan.

“He’s pulled a shoe quite badly and Colin thinks he might have done it coming out of the gates and that’s why he was just a little bit awkward at the end.

“He’s pretty straightforward at home and Colin thought he’ll get an extra furlong. He was quite green and needed the company when he got it.

“I had in the back of my mind that he could be a horse for the seven-furlong Guineas Trial at Leopardstown but it might be a bit soon and he could need some time to get over today with the deep ground and everything. I can see him stepping up to that level.”

Magical Vision (right) gets up to claim victory
Magical Vision (right) gets up to claim victory (Brian Lawless/PA)

The Aidan Howard-trained Magical Vision (6-1) picked up where she left off in the Compas Stallions Handicap.

The six-year-old, who did not make her debut until last season, won at Navan and Naas in the autumn and completed her hat-trick on her first start in almost five months, knuckling down to get the better of Mickey The Steel by a head under Chris Hayes.

Howard said: “She did what I was hoping she would do. She has loads of gears and loves the ground.

“We’ll probably look for something similar in a couple of weeks because she isn’t going to handle summer ground.”

Sendo Square justified 5-2 favouritism in the Far Above At Compas Stallions Handicap for trainer Andrew Slattery and his son and rider of the same name, while Fozzy Stack’s Chazzesmee readily obliged as the 11-8 favourite in the King Of Change Handicap, with Mark Enright the winning jockey.

Thedevilscoachman advertises Irish National claims at Limerick

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Thedevilscoachman teed himself up for a possible tilt at the Irish Grand National with victory in the Way To Paris @ Coolagown Stud Hugh McMahon Memorial Novice Chase at Limerick.

The JP McManus-owned seven-year-old was bidding for a second successive Grade Three prize for trainer Noel Meade, having been awarded victory by the stewards at Naas in late January after a thrilling tussle with Ramillies.

Denis O’Regan took over in the saddle from the recently retired Bryan Cooper and after stalking recent Gowran Park scorer Grandero Bello into the home straight, 11-8 favourite Thedevilscoachman picked him off on the run-in before pulling two and a half lengths clear.

Paddy Power make the winner their 5-1 favourite from 8-1 for the BoyleSports Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse on Easter Monday, although the Fairyhouse Gold Cup Novice Chase the previous afternoon is a possible alternative.

The owner’s racing manager, Frank Berry, said: “That was grand and the ground was made for him. It was an ideal race and you couldn’t have it soft enough for him. You couldn’t have asked for better today.

“We’ll see what Noel thinks and how he comes out of the race but we’ll see about the Irish National as if he got really soft ground, it might be a different kettle of fish and he could run in the Fairyhouse Gold Cup.

“Denis let him warm up into it and the further he went, the better he jumped. You could only be happy with him.”

Berry also provided an update on McManus’ retained rider Mark Walsh, who has been out of action since suffering a crashing fall from Corbetts Cross at the Cheltenham Festival last week.

“Mark is in better form this week and hopefully will be back for Easter. It is quite slow but he is getting there,” Berry added.

Gordon Elliott at the Cheltenham Festival last week
Gordon Elliott at the Cheltenham Festival last week (Mike Egerton/PA)

Trainer Gordon Elliott enjoyed a double on the card, with the 13-8 success of Deeply Superficial in the Tote Mares Hurdle supplemented by victory for 4-6 favourite The Yellow Clay in the Listed bumper.

A winner on his debut at Leopardstown three weeks ago, the latter followed up with a two-and-a-half length verdict in the Kevin McManus Bookmaker Champion (Pro/Am) Flat Race under Jamie Codd.

“We thought going to Leopardstown that he could be quite a smart one for next year and he has backed that up today. I don’t know what’s in behind him but all you can do is win,” said Codd.

“I’ll speak with Gordon but he has now probably done enough for this year and we’ll treat him like a good horse for next year.

“Noel and Valerie (Moran, of owners Bective Stud) bred him so it makes it more important for them.”

Aintree on the agenda for Arkle fourth Straw Fan Jack

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Sheila Lewis will head to Aintree with Straw Fan Jack following his gallant fourth in the Arkle Challenge Trophy.

The popular grey has blossomed since going over fences this term, winning novice chases at Ffos Las and Cheltenham.

Sent off a 50-1 chance for only his fourth try over fences, he finished a creditable fourth to El Fabiolo.

Trainer Sheila Lewis said: “He’s fine. He just has a few bumps and bruises and boy don’t they know they’ve had a race there?

“We were so chuffed. We couldn’t have been any happier if we’d have won to be honest.

“We celebrated like we won, anyway!”

El Fabiolo was an impressive winner at Cheltenham
El Fabiolo was an impressive winner at Cheltenham (Tim Goode/PA)

Though beaten 28 lengths by Willie Mullins’ winner, Straw Fan Jack’s jockey Sean Houlihan was happy with the gelding’s display.

Lewis added: “Sean thought Aintree would be worth having a crack at, as the Irish horses don’t always come over, preferring to stay at Punchestown.

“He said he was happy in that company. I know he was well beaten, but he said he ran on strong. He needs further really.”

The Grade One Manifesto Novices’ Chase, the opening race of the Aintree Grand National Festival on Thursday, April 13, is the eight-year-old’s next likely landing spot.

“We will go for the two-mile-four on the Thursday,” said Lewis. “He’s had a few lumps and bumps, but I think he’ll be OK for Aintree.

“It was one of those decisions where we went shorter because the Arkle didn’t appear to have that many runners.

“I think we went the right way, as I’m not sure we would have been placed in the Turners.

“That race appeared a lot stronger. Two horses (Jonbon and El Fabiolo) scared everything else off in the Arkle and us being the small team we are, we are happy to be fourth or fifth.

“The owner said he’d be happy to finish last in the race – just being there was good enough!”

Punchestown a possibility for Affordale Fury

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Affordale Fury’s 150-1 runner-up effort in the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle may have surprised some, but not trainer Noel Meade.

Despite winning a bumper and a maiden hurdle at Galway last year, Affordale Fury went under the radar at the Festival, largely because of his two subsequent runs, when falling in the Monksfield Novice Hurdle at Navan in November and then finishing sixth to Champ Kiely in a Naas Grade One.

At Cheltenham, he belied his lofty odds when stepped up to three miles for the first time under Sam Ewing, finding only Stay Away Fay a length too good.

Meade said: “He ran well. He is a very good horse. He was unfortunate at Navan that he got a fall and he wasn’t over the fall when we ran him again, possibly feeling something, at Naas.

“We had to give him time after that, but he is a very good horse.

“He won nicely at Galway before that fall, but I suppose his run at Naas put everyone off.”

Meade expects the five-year-old to develop once he fills into his frame, and has not ruled out one more run this term.

He added: “He stays well. He should be a better horse next year as he is a big, leggy horse.

“He might go to Punchestown, but he certainly won’t go to Aintree. Then he’ll have a bit of time off.”

‘All systems go’ for Noble Yeats’ National defence

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Emmet Mullins has confirmed Noble Yeats to be firmly on course for his bid for back-to-back victories in the Randox Grand National next month.

The eight-year-old carried Sam Waley-Cohen to a famous success in the Aintree spectacular last season on what proved to be the amateur rider’s swansong.

Noble Yeats has enjoyed another fine season, with wins at Wexford and Aintree followed by third place in the Cotswold Chase before his staying-on fourth behind Galopin Des Champs in the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Mullins reports his stable star to have taken those exertions in his stride and is looking forward to seeing him return to Merseyside to defend his Grand National crown on April 15.

“Noble Yeats looks great and if he hadn’t run in the Gold Cup last week I’d be saying I’d have to work him this week, so it is all systems go for the National,” said the trainer.

“It will be a mammoth task to carry that weight (11st 11lb), but at least we know he’ll take to the course and stay the trip, so those are two big ticks.”

Another Mullins inmate to perform with credit in defeat at the Cheltenham Festival was Corbetts Cross, who was being delivered with a major challenge in the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle only to run out at the final flight.

Trainer Emmet Mullins
Trainer Emmet Mullins (Brian Lawless/PA)

The JP McManus-owned six-year-old, who had won on each of his three previous runs, could now be set for a break.

Mullins added: “It was one of those things with Corbetts Cross and we’ll give him the benefit of the doubt.

“I’m not sure if we’ll see him again this year as he’s had a funny time since I’ve had him. I ran him at Naas not knowing whether I’d be going to Cheltenham or not and then it nearly came off, but we are in a different position now and will gather our thoughts and reassess him.”

Adayar poised for Gordon Richards reappearance

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Adayar, whose 2022 campaign was restricted to two outings, will start to make up for lost time when reappearing in the bet365 Gordon Richards Stakes at Sandown next month.

After triumphing at Epsom in 2021, the Charlie Appleby-trained Adayar became the first Derby winner in 20 years to follow up with a victory in the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes.

His four-year-old season was delayed until Doncaster’s St Leger meeting, after which he went down by just half a length to Bay Bridge in the Champion Stakes at Ascot.

Adayar (right) locked in battle with Bay Bridge in the Champion Stakes
Adayar (right) locked in battle with Bay Bridge in the Champion Stakes (John Walton/PA)

Appleby wants to give the son of Frankel further opportunities to pick up a Group One over a mile and a quarter this season, with the Group Three Gordon Richards as the starting point before Royal Ascot.

“The plan is to run Adayar in the Gordon Richards and then the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot, both over a mile and a quarter,” said the Moulton Paddocks handler.

“He will have a lot of summer targets, but winning a Group One over that trip will look good on his CV.”

Confidence growing ahead of Roi Mage’s Grand National challenge

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Connections of Roi Mage are growing increasingly bullish over his Randox Grand National chances after he chased home Longhouse Poet at Down Royal.

A best-priced 50-1 chance for the world-famous steeplechase, he represents the same owners who landed the race with Auroras Encore in 2013.

Like Auroras Encore, who was trained by Sue Smith, Roi Mage is an 11-year-old towards the bottom of the handicap and he narrowly missed the cut for the big race last year.

Trainer Patrick Griffin set his sights on Aintree at an early stage this term, but his participation was left on a knife-edge following an injury sustained at Cheltenham in January.

The trainer’s son and assistant, James Griffin, explained: “After Cheltenham, we didn’t think we would have a horse for the rest of the season, because he cut himself very badly in the Cross Country and genuinely we thought he would be gone for the season.

“Thanks to the Cheltenham veterinary team, specifically Ian Camm, who spent two hours on his hands and knees under the horse, with his finger tip, cleaning the wound meticulously, the dream is still alive.

“The horse cut himself very badly, we were a bit touch and go. But the horse was back being ridden out after three weeks and then it was on to Down Royal, where he ran a hell of a race.”

Roi Mage will carry the same colours as 2013 National winner Auroras Encore, who was partnered by ridden by Ryan Mania
Roi Mage will carry the same colours as 2013 National winner Auroras Encore, who was partnered by ridden by Ryan Mania (David Davies/PA)

Roi Mage was conceding weight to Longhouse Poet at Down Royal when beaten a length and a quarter, but the roles will be reversed at Aintree with Roi Mage allotted 10st 8lb while Longhouse Poet is on 11st.

“We were chuffed,” added Griffin. “I thought he’d run well and we think that would put him spot on. It is all systems go for Aintree now.

“He missed the cut by one last year but because he won at Down Royal last year, he went up 9lb to a mark of 149.”

He went on: “So, the plan all season was the Grand National. The plan always was to start in France, which we did. He finished third at Compiegne, giving both the winner and runner-up weight, and was only beaten just over two lengths.

“We were always working back from April 15 and he has come out of Down Royal bouncing. He has no weight on his back over that trip. We genuinely can’t wait.

“He’ll handle soft ground. If this (unsettled) weather holds up, then happy days. He’ll stay, we think he will. He has jumped round Auteuil, so Aintree shouldn’t be a problem.”

Connections are still hoping that three-time French champion jump jockey James Reveley will be fit enough to ride following a broken tibia sustained in a fall at Pau on February 19.

Griffin added: “We are hoping James will be back in time to ride him.

Connections hope French champion James Reveley will be fit for Aintree
Connections hope French champion James Reveley will be fit for Aintree (Daniel Hambury/PA)

“There are a mass of trials over the big Easter weekend at Auteuil and that is what he is aiming to be back for.

“We want James to ride him, but if he can’t, then we have two other riders in our heads.”

Winner of eight of his 38 starts over fences, Roi Mage has had just five runs over fences for Griffin since arriving from France, winning once and been placed on three other occasions for the yard, who are increasingly optimistic of a good showing at the Liverpool track.

“You can’t fancy a horse in the National, but realistically we know we have a horse who is capable of a big performance,” said Griffin.

“He has form in the book, he has a bit of speed – he won over two-miles-three 18 months ago – and he is relatively fresh. All season we have worked round the National and genuinely, we can’t wait.”