Raise You ready for Kyprios clash

PA Sport Reporters
August 31, 2022 1:38 pm

Talented stayer is on an upward curve.

Raise You is set to spearhead Joseph O’Brien’s Irish Champions Weekend squad, with the stayer possibly taking on Kyprios and Stradivarius in the Comer Group International Irish St Leger at the Curragh.

The 14-furlong Group One is one of the highlights of the second day of action, with the fixture opening at Leopardstown on September 10, and O’Brien is hoping his four-times course winner can sparkle again back at his favourite venue.

Previously trained by Andrew Balding, Raise You posted a career-best effort when tackling the Leger trip for the first time in the trial race earlier this month, beating dual Irish Leger scorer Search For A Song by two lengths.

Raise You on the gallops on Tuesday morning (Alan Magee/PA)

O’Brien said: “It looks a good race. We’ve a couple of strong candidates for it.

“Raise You loves it there and I think since we’ve gone up in distance, that’s where the improvement has really come from. It was a very good performance the last day.”

O’Brien’s father Aidan trains Kyprios, who has dominated the staying scene this term by winning both the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot and the Goodwood Cup, with the John and Thady Gosden-trained Stradivarius finishing third and second in each race respectively.

Kyprios is already entered for the Irish Leger while Stradivarius would have to be supplemented at a cost of EURO 50,000 and when asked about taking on the star duo, O’Brien replied: “I don’t know if he’d beat them, but hopefully he’ll run his race.

“All you can do is win the trial for the race, beating a previous winner, and tune him up for a good challenge. He’s been a lovely horse this year.”

Cleveland is walked back on Tuesday after a morning spin (Alan Magee/PA)

Cleveland is O’Brien’s other candidate after finishing a narrow second to stablemate Gear Up on his debut for the team, having previously been trained by his father.

The four-year-old won the Chester Cup earlier in the campaign.

O’Brien said: “It was a really good run and the Leger is an obvious stepping stone for him. Even this year, he’s had a good year so far. It was nice to see him take the step into Group company and perform well.”