CHAMPION stayer Kyprios made his seasonal reappearance at Navan and duly landed the Listed Bar One Racing Vintage Crop Stakes for the third time, and gave Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore trebles on the card.

He went off at 1/7 to account for his five rivals and, although Moore got lower in the saddle in the final quarter of a mile, the result didn’t look in doubt once the prominent racer climbed the hill. He did what he had to do to come in by two lengths for Moyglare, Magnier, Tabor, Smith and Westerberg.

Aidan O’Brien said: “The plan will be to go back to Leopardstown (for Saval Beg) then the Gold Cup (in Royal Ascot). He’s a remarkable horse, it is incredible that he is here and what he is doing.

“He’s as enthusiastic as he ever was, he was like that as a two-year-old as well. His demeanour hasn’t changed. It is pure, raw ability.”

This was the seven-year-old gelding’s eighth victory in a row, a winning spree that began in this race last year.

Back for Moore

O’Brien and Moore teamed up with 8/11 favourite Charles Darwin who quickened right away from the opposition in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden over the extended five furlongs.

The full-brother to Group 1 Middle Park Stakes winner Blackbeard made all and asserted over a furlong out. He then powered home by five and a half lengths for the Coolmore partners and Westerberg.

O’Brien said: “He’s lovely - a big, powerful, strong horse. We always thought he was an Ascot horse. He was very green in the Curragh (in fourth on debut) and the race was a bit messy. He did (do everything right today), he travelled and he has loads of speed. He quickened very well.”

Winning return

Whistlejacket, who was a Group 1 winner in his juvenile season, returned with a victory in the Listed Irish Stallion Farms EBF Committed Stakes for owners Peter Brant, Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith.

He improved into second approaching the final furlong and finished well to get up close home by half a length from stablemate Ides Of March who ran a very solid race after a tardy start.

O’Brien said of the winner and 5/4 favourite: “We wanted to hopefully get two runs into him before Ascot. The plan was to come here and then go to Naas and then go for the Commonwealth (Cup). Ryan said he didn’t get any cover and got a little bit tired but he was very happy with him.”

WEMIGHTAKEDLONGWAY put in a fine front-running display to take the Group 3 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Salsabil Stakes over an extended 10-furlongs for ES Racing.

Dylan Browne McMonagle kicked on with more than a furlong to go and, try as Catalina Delcarpio did, she couldn’t make inroads at the business end as Wemightakedlongway sailed in by two and three-quarter lengths at 15/2.

Joseph O’Brien said: “We were actually looking at going to Chester but, when the drop of rain came, we decided to come here. She has won impressively. The Pretty Polly (at the Curragh) is the race we are really building towards.”

Powerful

It was 7/1 the field in a competitive Kilberry Apprentice Handicap that featured 20 runners over the minimum trip. Beano Power (7/1 joint-favourite) was drawn widest of all, but Sorcha Woods was able to get some cover and produced him with a run racing to the final furlong.

Their momentum saw them pick up the lead inside the final 100 yards and they went on by a length and a half for Eddie Lynam and Sabena Power.

“The real story with this filly is that on her last run on the turf she fell on the road, she went down and picked herself up and ran on and finished fifth (at Down Royal). She got a very bad cut and got damage in the tissue of the tendon. John, the vet in Anglesey Lodge, did a great job with her,” Lynam said.

REYENZI went into plenty of notebooks with the manner of his success in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF 3YO Spring Series Median Auction Maiden.

After a keeping-on second on debut over seven furlongs at Naas in September, he went off at 6/1 for this big-field assignment over an extended mile and a quarter.

Ben Coen drove him on outside the furlong pole and the Saxon Warrior colt put daylight between himself and the field in the closing stages as he charged in by five lengths, carrying the colours of the late Aga Khan.

Johnny Murtagh said: “I think he is above average. It was a competitive race here today and there was a lot of fancied horses in it. If he can’t improve off that, there’s no excuse. He had a lovely race today and Ben minded him and taught him a lot. I’m hoping he can shape up into a stakes horse.”

Justified the wait

Abbey Actress (9/1) delighted John O’Donoghue when she came home first under Ronan Whelan in the Arkle Bar Handicap. This was her seasonal reappearance and she raced in rear of mid-division before striding purposefully to the front two furlongs from home.

She increased her advantage a furlong down and kept on well to see it out by three and a quarter lengths at 9/1 for owners J.P.M O’Connor, Paul J. Nolan and Nora O’Donoghue.

O’Donoghue said: “We felt she was better than 73, we are not sure how much better. I was itching to run this filly, I actually had her in on the first day back and we got balloted - I was cursing the good weather! She has justified waiting anyway.”

Elle Dorado Rock (11/8 favourite) was a warm order for the Navan Racecourse Handicap and won decisively. Once Colin Keane steered him to the front with more than a furlong to race, the contest was soon over as the seven-year-old gelding opened up by four and a quarter lengths for owners John Breslin and Mike Larkin.

Tony Martin said: “The run during the week (second in Gowran Park on Wednesday), just things didn’t work out for the horse there. Fortunately enough, he showed all the right signs and we got enough done with him during the week to say that he was as good as he was this morning as Wednesday morning.”