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Raise You poised for Kyprios clash after ready Irish St Leger Trial strike
Saturday: Curragh
A date with Gold Cup star Kyprios awaits the ever-improving Raise You after the Joseph O'Brien-trained six-year-old continued his Curragh love affair to land the Group 3 Comer Group International Irish St Leger Trial.
What had the makings of a straight shootout between the Listed Orby Stakes scorer and dual Irish St Leger heroine Search For A Song developed into just that with the pair drawing clear at the business end.
Shane Crosse, in the colours of Jonathan Palmer-Brown and Brian Gleeson, always looked confident on the 110-rated performer, though, and in the end his mount proved two lengths too good for Dermot Weld's mare.
Saturday's trial success looks to have set up a crack at the Irish St Leger itself, although Raise You also holds a Melbourne Cup entry.
Brendan Powell, assistant to O'Brien, said: "It couldn't have worked out better. We were a bit worried that there would be no pace, but luckily enough there was a gallop on and this horse relaxed.
"He just keeps improving all the time. I suppose it'll be the Irish Leger now and then see where we go from there."
"He's relaxing way more at home now. Paddy Vaughan rides him every day now after Leighton [Aspell] left. He was a tearaway, but the two of them have done a great job."
Lyons excited by Mauiewowie
Ger Lyons could have some high-class targets to look forward to next season with exciting filly Mauiewowie, who showed a fine attitude to match her talent in landing the Listed Qatar Racing And Equestrian Club Curragh Stakes.
Partnered by Colin Keane for owner Eleanora Kennedy, the ready debut winner bounced back from an odds-on defeat at Naas last time to edge out the Paddy Twomey-trained Treasure Trove on the line.
"We have a load of backward two-year-olds at home and she's the one that has always been precocious," said Lyons.
"We have loads of options now, like the Blenheim over six furlongs with a bit of juice in the ground, but I'll let her tell me and let her grow up because she's a work in progress.
"She'll be a lovely horse for next year. We'll see how she comes out of it, but I wouldn't be surprised if you didn't see her again this year."
Enright off to a flyer
Teenage apprentice Oisin Enright made a dream start to his career at Irish Flat racing's headquarters as he recorded a winner on his first ride on the Dermot Weld-trained Thaleeq at 20-1.
A Limerick native who works full time for the Rosewell team, the 17-year-old received high praise from Weld after this smart two-length success.
Weld said: "He rides well and that's why I put him up here at the Curragh. He's talented and I had a lot of confidence that if the horse was good enough, he'd be good enough.
"I told him to take his time, ride a very patient race on him and get him to relax. He's a boy with a future, I wasn't surprised with the ride but I was hopeful for the horse."
Catch our in-depth review of the weekend's racing every Monday in the Racing Post. With big-race analysis from Classic-winning jockey George Baker, Chris Cook's take on the weekend action, eyecatchers from the Raceform team, weekly awards and much more, it is not to be missed.
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