Confirmed runners and riders for Sunday's Irish St Leger at the Curragh

Star stayer Kyprios will make his eagerly anticipated seasonal debut when he defends his Irish St Leger (4.35) crown at the Curragh on Sunday.

An infection in a joint during the spring meant Kyprios was unable to go for back-to-back Ascot Gold Cups, with success in last year's Royal Ascot feature Group 1 the start of a superb run of four consecutive top-level successes in the Goodwood Cup, Irish St Leger and Prix du Cadran.

Kyprios' 20-length victory at Longchamp was even more impressive given that he hung violently to his left during the closing stages, with the likes of subsequent Group 1 Goodwood Cup winner Quickthorn beaten 42 lengths by Aidan O'Brien's son of Galileo.

Four were declared to take on Kyprios as he makes his first start in 2023, 344 days on from that brilliant performance on Arc weekend although the participation of his stablemate Emily Dickinson is not guaranteed with the good ground still quicker than ideal for the four-year-old whose Group 2 Curragh Cup win came on soft.

Yashin was sixth behind Emily Dickinson in that course and distance event and was declared along with Queen Alexandra winner Dawn Rising. Eldar Eldarov, without a win in four starts since landing the English equivalent at Doncaster almost a year to the day ago, completes the line-up.

Even if Emily Dickinson does run it is the smallest field for the Irish Classic this century with Hamish, beaten three-quarters of a length by Kyprios in this race last year not declared. Valiant King, in action earlier on Irish Champions weekend in a Group 3 at Leopardstown on Saturday was also taken out with Broome. 

Kyrpios bids to join the likes of Vintage Crop, Oscar Schlindler, Kayf Tara and Vinnie Roe who won successive runnings of the Irish St Leger with the fellow Moyglare Farm Sutd-owned Search For A Song the last horse to achieve the feat in 2019 and 2020.

Irish St Leger runners and riders (Sunday 4.35, Curragh)

Dawn Rising Declan McDonogh
Eldar Eldarov David Egan
Kyprios Ryan Moore
Yashin Shane Foley
Emily Dickinson Seamie Heffernan

Success for Kyprios would also mark a seventh success in the race for O'Brien, who has an excellent chance of landing the preceding Goffs Vincent O'Brien National Stakes (4.00) with both City Of Troy and Henry Longfellow declared. 

Ryan Moore rides City Of Troy and Paddy Power are offering a 'Will City Of Troy & Henry Longfellow Both Run In The National Stakes?' market with the firm going 1-7 for no and 4-1 yes.

City Of Troy and Henry Longfellow are unbeaten in each of their two starts and have scored over the same track and trip as the Group 1 juvenile contest, as has Bucanero Fuerte, who bids to follow up last month's Phoenix Stakes success.

Porta Fortuna finished second to Bucanero Fuerte in the Phoenix and she bids to go one better as she takes on eight fillies in the Moyglare Stud Stakes (3.25). Frankie Dettori, who guided the Donnacha O'Brien-trained filly to Royal Ascot success is back on board for the first time since that Group 3 Albany win.

Highfield Princess: another hoping to repeat a win on this card 12 months agoCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Highfield Princess is yet to record a Group 1 victory in 2023 but a return to the scene of her last top-level success in the Al Basti Equiworld, Dubai Flying Five Stakes (2.55) could help her get back to winning ways at the highest level.

John Quinn's mare reversed the King's Stand form with Bradsell when the pair chased home Live In The Dream in the Nunthorpe at York last time and they clash for a third time with Art Power, unbeaten in four starts at the Curragh also respected.

Comer Group International Irish St. Leger Paddy Power: 5-4 Kyprios, 11-4 Emily Dickinson, Eldar Eldarov, 9 Yashin, 20 Dawn Rising

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