By Tom Frary
As he likes to do in his Royal Ascot warm-ups, Ballydoyle's undisputed champion Kyprios gave the long odds-on backers enough of a scare to shorten their lifespan prior to just doing what he does and winning. Taking part in Friday's G3 Saval Beg Levmoss Stakes to keep his eye in more than anything, the 7-year-old sauntered around Leopardstown under Ryan Moore, made it look hard work for a few strides heading to the last furlong before extending sufficiently to wrap up a third renewal.
At the line, the 1-14 shot had a 1 1/2-length margin to spare over Dallas Star which in any other instance would be enough to cast doubt on his prospects of adding another Gold Cup to his impressive portfolio. But this is Kyprios, who has done this before. What was of genuine concern was the fact that he appeared unsound after the race.
Aidan O'Brien gave the instant feedback. “Everything went perfectly in the race, but he looked to be walking gingerly in front going out of the winner's enclosure after the pictures had been taken,” he revealed. “He might have been feeling something and it could be a sprung shoe, but there'll be no chances taken with him and we'll investigate and see what it is.”
Can anything stop from winning a third Gold Cup at Royal Ascot? ⚪️⚫️
Ryan Moore kept the champion stayer honest, but a third Saval Beg @LeopardstownRC never looked in any real doubt …@MoyglareStud | @Ballydoyle pic.twitter.com/8lcgsVMlHK
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) May 16, 2025
Pedigree Notes
Sadly, Kyprios is the final offering from Moyglare's formidable Polished Gem, with the famed Danehill broodmare perhaps saving her best until last. That is saying something when she has already produced his dual G1 Irish St Leger-winning full-sister Search For A Song, a G1 Prince of Wales's Stakes winner in Free Eagle by High Chaparral and three other Group winners including Medicean's Sapphire who took the British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes when it was a Group 2.
Sapphire is proving s smart producer, with her daughter of Dubawi, Elizabeth Jane, scoring at listed level, her Galileo mare Federica Sophia finishing runner-up in the G3 Stanerra Stakes and her Kingman daughter Kiss For A Jewel running third in the G2 Kilboy Estate Stakes.
Friday, Leopardstown, Ireland
SAVAL BEG LEVMOSS STAKES-G3, €60,000, Leopardstown, 5-16, 4yo/up, 14fT, 3:03.22, gd.
1–KYPRIOS (IRE), 136, h, 7, by Galileo (Ire)
1st Dam: Polished Gem (Ire) (2x Broodmare Of The Year-Ire), by Danehill
2nd Dam: Trusted Partner, by Affirmed
3rd Dam: Talking Picture, by Speak John
O-Moyglare, Magnier, Tabor, Smith & Westerberg; B-Moyglare Stud Farm Ltd (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Ryan Moore. €36,000. Lifetime Record: MG1SW-Eng, Fr & Ire, 21-17-2-0, $3,341,276. *Full to Search For A Song (Ire), MG1SW-Ire, SW & GSP-Eng, G1SP-Fr, $1,086,486; Falcon Eight (Ire), GSW-Ire & SW-Eng, $409,006; and Amma Grace (Ire), SW & GSP-Ire; and 1/2 to Free Eagle (Ire) (High Chaparral {Ire}), G1SW-Eng, GSW & G1SP-Ire, $926,416; Sapphire (Ire) (Medicean {GB}), MGSW & G1SP-Ire, GSW-Eng, $518,947; Custom Cut (Ire) (Notnowcato {GB}), MGSW-Eng & Ire, $951,925; and Valac (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), GSW-Aus, $448,653. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Dallas Star (Fr), 131, c, 4, Cloth Of Stars (Ire)–Agathe Rare (Ire), by Sadler's Wells. (€30,000 Wlg '21 ARQDEC; 50,000gns Ylg '22 TATOCT; 180,000gns RNA 2yo '23 TATBRE). O-Amo Racing Ltd; B-Mme Eliane Dieuaide & Domaine Billard Pere et Fils (FR); T-Adrian Murray. €12,000.
3–Satin (GB), 128, m, 5, Australia (GB)–Countryside (GB), by Motivator (GB). 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (22,000gns Wlg '20 TATFOA). O-Mrs S Kelly; B-Crimbourne Bloodstock Ltd (GB); T-Jessica Harrington. €6,000.
Margins: 1HF, 1 1/4, HF. Odds: 0.07, 14.00, 33.00.
Also Ran: Mont St Michel (Ire), Duraji (Ire).
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