Is there a way to trigger Finder's "quick look" window with Applescript?

Question

I am using Applescript to automate some tasks in the OSX Finder. The script opens up a folder and selects the first image in that folder. I would like it to also bring up the "quick look" window (exactly as if the user had pressed the space bar).

I did find a way to fire up quick look from the command line using qlmanage, but that brings up a static quick look window, which is no longer tied to the finder selection.

Code so far:

property folderPath : "/Volumes/Media/Images"

on run {}
    tell application "Finder"
        activate
            set imageFolder to folder (folderPath as POSIX file)
            set imageFile to first item of imageFolder
            select imageFile
            -- show quick look?
    end tell
end run

Answer 1

Updated (with thanks to Kevin Ballard):

tell application "System Events" to keystroke "y" using command down

Note: this requires that "enable access for assistive devices" is selected in the "Universal Access" control panel.

Answer 2

If you don't want to do it by scripting the Finder you can run the following shell command

qlmanage -p thefile

In an Applescript you might do this like

do shell script "qlmanage -p " & "thepath/thefile"

Depending upon what you are doing this might be much easier. Especially if you primarily just have a set of paths.

If you have an existing Applescript path you can send it like this

set p to POSIX path of  mypath
do shell script "qlmanage -pr " & quoted form of p