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Eldar Eldarov (16/5) provided Irish-born jockey David Egan with a day to remember when he proved too strong for the returning-to-action Kyprios Group 1 Comer Group International Irish St. Leger at the Curragh.
Kyprios, who recorded six-straight victories over staying trips in 2022, hadn't been seen since his twenty-length demolition in the Group 1 Prix du Cadran at Longchamp having missed the majority of his 2023 campaign after suffering a joint infection. However, that didn't stop Aidan O'Brien's five-year-old from being sent off a 4/6 short-price favourite to make a winning reappearance despite the master of Ballydoyle airing concerns regarding his current fitness.
Yashin took what was now a field of four along following Emily Dickinson's withdrawal due to a stone bruise at a generous tempo, with Kyprios' rivals seemingly keen to test his race fitness.
The pace began to lift as the quartet straightened for home and it soon became apparent that the 4/6 market leader was in trouble. Moore urged his mount to pick up with four furlongs to run and all the while the eye was drawn to the smooth-travelling Eldar Eldarov, who quickened up smartly in the hands of David Egan to take up the running with a couple of furlongs to go. The pair soon shot clear of a ridden along Kyprios, who stuck to the task well enough on his return from a lengthy absence, but Aidan O'Brien's 2022 staying star was no match for last year's English St Leger winner, with Roger Varian's colt finishing a comfortable three and a half lengths clear crossing the line.
Dawn Rising was back in third for Joseph O'Brien and owner JP McManus, with the early pacesetter Yashin fading to finish a well-beaten fourth.
David Egan, who was enjoying a first success in Ireland despite growing up just a stone's throw away from the Curragh, jokingly said: "It's not that I haven't been trying!"
"He's magic, he's very special," he added.
"He's a horse that had been missing the break on his last couple of runs, we did a little bit of gate work with him and we realised that putting the blind on and taking it off as the gates opened was getting him to jump a lot sharper and that was pivotal in getting the position that I wanted in second place to sort of dictate the race and go when I felt was necessary.
"I had a lot of faith in my horse, and he hasn't really got the rub of the green this year. I thought he ran a nice race at Goodwood, but we gave Quickthorn too much of a free rein the last day, we were beaten maybe a short-head and a head for second place, he ran a lovely comeback race at York, and I think two and a half miles at Ascot stretched him, today is his optimum trip."
Varian added: "It's a big thrill to win a race like the Irish St Leger and I'm delighted to get Eldar Eldarov winning again. He's run some great races in defeat this year and it's nice to win two Legers.
"He's entered up in France on Arc weekend and there is the two-mile race at Ascot. We might consider Ascot.
"He seems to be really best at a mile and six furlongs, but there aren't too many of those races around. He deserves to run one more time this year and it's most likely Ascot."
He said of the winning rider: "David has been with us since he was 15 or 16 and he's done really well. He's come up through the ranks and he's taken his opportunities. I'm delighted for him, and he gave him a very straightforward, uncomplicated ride today."
Paddy Power cut the winner in half with Eldar Eldarov now a 7/1 chance to land the Long Distance Cup at Ascot on British Champions Day in October. The same firm remained unchanged at 6/1 regarding Kyprios' chances of Ascot glory later in the season.
