Kyprios continues resurgence with Goodwood Cup stroll

Kyprios cemented his status as the best stayer in the land with a comprehensive victory in the Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup.

Aidan O’Brien’s six-year-old was the dominant force in the division in 2022, winning the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot, the Goodwood Cup and the Irish St Leger before rounding off an unbeaten campaign with a jaw-dropping 20-length demolition job in the Prix du Cadran.

A career-threatening injury restricted him to just two outings last term and he was beaten on both occasions, but he had roared back to his best this season, winning each of his first three starts, including a successful defence of his Gold Cup crown last month.

With regular partner Ryan Moore in the plate, the son of Galileo was an 8-13 favourite to regain his Goodwood title and his supporters will have had few concerns for the duration of the two-mile contest.

After being briefly nudged along rounding the home turn, Kyprios soon came back on the bridle and was cantering all over his rivals halfway up the straight.

Gold Cup third Sweet William did his best to make a race of it, but he was not in the same league as the winner, who had four lengths in hand at the line and was value for more.

Sweet William’s stablemate Gregory was just a head further behind in third, with popular veteran Trueshan – winner of the Goodwood Cup in 2021 – staying on for fourth.

Of Kyprios, Moore said: “He slipped on the top bend today and I was always struggling with my rhythm on him then, so it was always going against him the whole race.

“I ended up having to go there at the two (furlong pole) when I would ideally have liked to wait a bit longer, but he’s just very high class.

“This fella is very, very good. He wouldn’t show you how good he is, but he’s very good. He’s not an Arc horse, he stays well but he wouldn’t be disgraced.

“I remember Aidan ringing me and telling me what happened to him at the end of his good year. I never thought we would see him run again, so all credit to everyone at Ballydoyle for a massive effort.

“It’s fun to ride him because you know he’s that much better than the rest.”

O’Brien added: “He’s a very special horse. He has so much class, really he was going along in second gear the whole time.

“It wasn’t easy for Ryan because he said he felt on the bend he was different to before, obviously he’s had his injury. Ryan said he felt him slip on the top bend and he was always trying to gather him and help him.

“It was an incredible ride, he’s an incredible horse. Obviously, we know that he stays well but he has a lot of class as well, I’m delighted for everybody.”

Betfair make Kyprios a 33-1 shot for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, but O’Brien is not planning to drop back in trip for Europe’s premier middle-distance contest.

“The Gold Cup is a very important race for him every year, we were minding him for that,” said the Ballydoyle handler.

“We thought if he was OK, we might bring him back to an Irish St Leger again, he’ll hopefully be OK tomorrow and we’ll have him back for that and then have him next year again.

“We have to be very respectful to him, you saw where he came from and it’s hard to believe he’s here today. He did find the undulations of the track a little more difficult than he did before.”

John Gosden was pleased with the performance of the two placed horses, Sweet William and Gregory.

He said: “They were two solid runs behind a very good horse. We are delighted. Races like the Lonsdale Cup at York and Doncaster Cup will be the direction we will go.

“I am pleased with Gregory. He scoped perfectly going into Royal Ascot but not perfectly coming out of it. That can happen when you have everything spot-on. Something can just come along.

“I don’t know where Kyprios will go next. Irish St Leger? But we won’t be afraid to take him on again. They all have off days, you know.”