AIDAN O’Brien’s legendary stayer Kyprios made it nine wins in a row when taking the mile and six Group 3 Saval Beg Levmoss Stakes at Leopardstown on Friday evening.

Sent off favourite at 1/14, Ryan Moore raced in third and led over a furlong out on the Moyglare, Magnier, Tabor, Smith, Westerberg-owned seven-year-old, before staying on powerfully to score by one and a half lengths.

O’Brien said: “He did exactly as he always does and that should put him right for Ascot. He’s an incredible horse really.”

However, O’Brien was a bit concerned about how he was moving afterwards saying: “He came back in perfect and when he went to walk off (out of the winner’s enclosure) he was moving a little bit gingerly in front. We’ll check him out and obviously he’s scanned and x-rayed before he runs every day. Hopefully it’s just a sprung shoe or something like that.”

O’Brien was recording a double, having earlier won the opening seven-furlong Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden with newcomer, Italy.

Owned by Smith, Magnier, Tabor, Westerberg, the 4/9 favourite showed his inexperience with a slow start, but quickened up smartly inside the final furlong under Wayne Lordan to win by three-quarters of a length.

Aidan O’Brien said: “He was never away before, so he would have been very green, and they went a good gallop. He has a bit of quality and Wayne gave him a lovely ride. He taught him plenty and he will have learned a lot from that. He could come back here for the Tyros.”

NOT Just Any Eagle beat Reaching High a short head in the mile and a half Leopardstown Lady Riders’ Handicap to deny the reigning British monarch a win with his first Irish-trained runner. Sitting five lengths behind the leader in second, Pat Flynn’s 10/1 chance stayed on strongly under Robyn Donaghue-Leahy to narrowly prevail by a short head in the colours of the trainer’s wife, Catherine.

Donaghue-Leahy said: “The race set up perfectly for him. He picked up well and was good and game the whole way up the straight. He’s been a great servant to me and Pat. That’s his fourth win in the past year.”

Reaching for Ascot

Patrick Mullins said of Reaching High: “It was a brilliant run, and Jody gave him a fantastic ride. He just ran out of road. We think that will bring him on nicely and hopefully we can have him ready for Ascot.”

Fortuna Vega led close home under Wayne Hassett to win the mile and a quarter Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies’ Handicap. Trained by Joseph O’Brien, the well-backed 11/4 favourite (from 7/1), chased down the leader on the outside to take over towards the line, carrying the colours of the Annus Mirabilis Syndicate to a one-and-a-quarter-length success.

Hassett reported: “I know she’s small, but she’s a really tough filly. She stayed the mile and two out lovely, better than expected. I had a lovely position the whole way around and I was really just a passenger. She has a big heart and all she wants to do is stay galloping.”

EDWARD Buckley won the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Median Auction Maiden over a mile with 12/1 chance Banner Beauty. Making her stable debut, the O B P Carroll and Anthony Vaughan-owned filly led over a furlong out under Robert Whearty. Going clear of the field, Jet Black Jewel attempted to mount a challenge, but went down by half a length.

Buckley said: “I’m friendly with Tony (part owner) who has a couple of horses with me and recommended I got her. Rob just said when she got to the front, she didn’t know what to do.

“She showed a nice turn of foot and could come back over seven or run over a mile. There is a mile Listed race for fillies, the Kooyonga, at Navan (on June 7th) that we might aim her at.”

Easy

Summer Snow easily landed the BoyleSports Daily Money Back Meetings Apprentice Handicap over a mile for Peter Lawlor and Patrick McGettigan. Leading over a furlong out, the 10/1 chance stretched clear to score by three lengths for owner Patrick Kelly.

Lawlor said: “We were confident coming up here and she ran well in Navan on good ground. It was a bit too soft on her last two runs. All her wins before were over seven but I didn’t doubt that she would get the mile.

“She has plenty of toe so we can also drop back to seven. We’ll freshen her up and look for something again in about a month. We should have a bit of fun with her during the summer.”

Blinkers are key

Chris Hayes won the mile and a half Bulmers Live At Leopardstown Handicap on the Noel Meade-trained Tatum. Chris Hayes moved off the rail two out on the 6/1 chance and moved into the lead holding off the challenge of Chopsticks by a length and three quarters, in the colours of The Peerless Partnership.

Meade said: “Colin (Keane) told me to put blinkers on her and then he jumped ship (to ride Secret Rock, third). I’d say the blinkers were a help and a good track too. She looks like she stays that trip well and she may even go further the way she won there.

“She was a very backward two-year-old and she used to hit the ground hard enough then, but as she’s matured her action was better and I’d be happy with her on that ground now.”