
Kyprios ‘sound' following Leopardstown injury worry
Aidan O'Brien has issued a positive bulletin on star stayer Kyprios following his Saval Beg Stakes victory at Leopardstown on Friday evening.
The seven-year-old claimed a third success in the Group Three contest, with the dual Gold Cup winner seemingly well on course for another trip to Royal Ascot.
However, O'Brien expressed some concern about the horse's movement leaving the winner's enclosure, saying Kyprios was 'moving a little bit gingerly in front'.
The son of Galileo has subsequently been checked over and was reported to be sound on Saturday morning.
Kyprios is very good this morning and is sound.
We think he knocked his pastern after turning sharply in the winners enclosure.
X-rays and scans were all clean and we are very happy with him.
Aidan O'Brien, @Ballydoyle pic.twitter.com/w4sAXCgXBR
— Coolmore (@coolmorestud) May 17, 2025
O'Brien, quoted on the X account of the horse's owners Coolmore, said: 'Kyprios is very good this morning and is sound.
'We think he knocked his pastern after turning sharply in the winners enclosure.
'X-rays and scans were all clean and we are very happy with him.'
Kyprios has followed a familiar route to Ascot in winning last month's Vintage Crop Stakes before taking the Saval Beg – the same path he took before his Gold Cup victories in 2022 and 2024, when he also enjoyed unbeaten seasons.
O'Brien's charge is a general 11-10 favourite to win a third Gold Cup, which would put him level with Sagaro and Stradivarius and one win behind Yeats, who claimed four victories for O'Brien between 2006 and 2009.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


BBC News
6 hours ago
- BBC News
Preston sign Bournemouth striker Jebbison on loan
Preston North End have signed Bournemouth striker Daniel Jebbison on a season-long loan 21-year-old will join up with the Championship side on 7 July after representing Canada in the ongoing Gold started his career with Sheffield United, where he worked with Preston boss Paul Heckingbottom, before joining the Cherries in July spent the first half of last season in the second tier on loan at Watford, making 13 appearances."He's someone I always pushed to keep improving during our time together," Heckingbottom told the club website., external "I've always believed in his ability and his potential."


Daily Mirror
8 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Royal Ascot jockey's comments about Aidan O'Brien say it all about Irish trainer
Aidan O'Brien is widely regarded as one of the greatest flat trainers of all time, with a record to match, and jockey Sean Levey has opened up about working under and riding for the Irishman Royal Ascot rider Sean Levey has lifted the lid on what it's really like working with legendary Irish trainer Aidan O'Brien. The 37-year-old admitted that the handler is every bit as thoughtful and hardworking behind the scenes as people might imagine. O'Brien, who made a name for himself by dominating the National Hunt scene, was handpicked by the Irish business tycoon John Magnier to take over at Ballydoyle. The revered 55-year-old has since won nearly everything in flat racing and cemented his status as a formidable force in the sport. His record at the prestigious Royal meeting is outstanding, with his stable consistently sending a strong contingent to Berkshire each year with eyes firmly set on Group 1 success. While Ryan Moore is typically seen steering O'Brien's thoroughbreds, the scale of the operation means other jockeys, including Levey, also get their chances. Levey's ties with O'Brien go back to his own formative years, cutting his teeth in horse racing while riding out for the Ballydoyle maestro in his early days. He later honed his craft under Richard Hannon in England after an apprenticeship with O'Brien. At 37, Levey's connection with O'Brien has yielded notable successes, with one standout triumph being aboard Galileo colt Jan Brueghel in the 2024 St. Leger. Speaking about his experience, the jockey shared insights into O'Brien's impactful influence and amicable character with the Irish Mirror. "I was an apprentice there [at Ballydoyle] for a few years before I moved here [to England]. It had a massive impact," divulged Ladbrokes ambassador Levey. "Because I obviously served an apprenticeship under him for a good few years. So it was... My initial standpoint was under Aidan, so you'd imagine he had a massive influence on a lot of the things I do now. He's a very, very kind man. The kind of man who does right by everyone. FREE £2 William Hill Shop Bets every day of Royal Ascot inside your Mirror We've teamed up with racing experts William Hill to offer your a £2 FREE shop bet every day of the iconic Royal Ascot festival. Pick up your Mirror from Tuesday June 17 -> Saturday June 21, 2025 to get your hands on this great offer. With 12 pages of incredible pullouts every day, PLUS a £2 shop bet, the Mirror is ready to bring you all the runners, riders, and winners of Ascot 2025. "He's also very meticulous. I think his love for the sport kind of shines through in how he presented himself and how he's navigated training a multitude of very, very good horses. I mean, his record kind of speaks for itself, and there's not much I can really add to his CV!" Throughout his career, Levey has had the honour of riding not only for the Ballydoyle dynasty but also for the Royal blue of the Maktoum family's stable, Godolphin. Founded in 1992, the international stable employs a select group of British trainers, notably Charlie Appleby and Saeed bin Suroor, to lead their operation from HQ. Levey has donned the iconic silks on occasion and believes that both Ballydoyle and Godolphin's experience and thoroughness have enabled them to maintain their top positions for such a long time. "I think I've only ever picked up rides for Saeed [bin Suroor]. Been placed in a couple of listed races, and I've won a couple of listed races. I also rode a listed winner for Richard [Hannon] with a two-year-old that he had trained for Godolphin, so I've had the privilege of wearing the blue colours, and having winners in them," Levey added. "They're a firm that have their team. I've just been lucky on occasion that the opportunity sort of presented itself, and I was put forward. They're a very good team with very good soldiers to boot. Their record kind of speaks for itself. "Godolphin are... I think they've both been in the game a long, long time. They've been breeding very good horses for a long time, and they don't leave any stone unturned, the same as Aidan doesn't leave any stone unturned, and as a result, they're extremely competitive at the top level."


The Sun
17 hours ago
- The Sun
Royal Ascot tips: ‘He'll power home like the class act he is' – Templegate's bullish 3-1 NAP on day five
TEMPLEGATE takes on Saturday's racing from Royal Ascot confident of bashing the bookies. Back a horse by clicking their odds below - and bag yourself some of our best free bet offers. He got off the mark at Lingfield on his second run before finishing his juvenile campaign with a short-head second in good company at Redcar. Trainer Ralph Beckett brought him back for his handicap debut in the competitive Esher Cup at Sandown in late April. He looked well and travelled sweetly before just being edged out in the closing stages. That was over a mile and he gives the strong impression that this longer trip will be ideal. ARAMRAM (5.00 Royal Ascot, nb) He has looked better than ever this season and followed to fine Newmarket seconds with a cosy win at Newbury last time. The official margin was a length but he was coasting in the closing stages and could have made it a lot more. The handicapper has been more than fair with a 4lb rise in the weights and the booking of Moore for Richard Hannon's flyer is the cherry on top. 'The Lads' of Ballydoyle have been hoovering up the juvenile races all week and can add the Chesham to their tally. This Justify colt took the Leopardstown maiden as last year's winner Bedtime Story last time. Templegate's tips Commercial content notice: Taking one of the offers featured in this article may result in a payment to The Sun. You should be aware brands pay fees to appear in the highest placements on the page. 18+. T&Cs apply. Remember to gamble responsibly A responsible gambler is someone who: