PURE GOLD!
Kyprios comes out on top in titanic tussle for Ascot showpiece
Kyprios (Galileo) became just the third horse in the 217-year history of the Ascot Gold Cup (Gr 1, 2m 4f) to regain his title in Royal Ascot’s showpiece event after getting the better of Trawlerman (Golden Horn) in a memorable straight-long duel on Thursday.
Nursed back from a life-threatening injury by the incomparable Aidan O’Brien, the six-year-old entire registered his fifth win at the highest level, crossing the line a length clear of his tough adversary to justify his position as the 11-10 favourite.
In doing so he became just the 23rd horse to taste success in the Ascot Gold Cup on more than one occasion and the first since Kayf Tara (Sadler’s Wells) back in 2000 to regain the title.
Victory in the corresponding race two years ago came amidst a season when the son of Galileo (Sadler’s Wells) went unbeaten in six starts, culminating in a freakish 20-length romp in a Group 1 at Longchamp.
Following an injury-plagued season when an infection inside a joint meant he raced just twice, finishing second both times, Kyprios warmed up for his tilt at glory with two straightforward wins in lesser company back in his native Ireland.
A return to Royal Ascot though was a completely different proposition, but one the entire took firmly in his stride.
Settled in second place by Ryan Moore behind William Buick on the front-running Trawlerman for much of the race, Kyprios moved up alongside the leader going easily three furlongs out, challenged from over two furlongs out and then after edging into the lead was ridden inside the final furlong before keeping on well.
“It was smooth early, that’s where I wanted to be,” said Moore after riding his third Gold Cup winner. “Then the filly [Caius Chorister] ran off with Benoit [De La Sayette] and I was having to go round her. He started travelling a bit too well too early again. I got there going very easy.”
Moore has picked up plenty of plaudits for a string of masterful rides this week, but he felt he was not at his best in the saddle on this occasion.
“I said to Aidan that he’s the class horse in the race and he stays the best, so I’ve just got to get it right,” he continued. “I didn’t get it quite right but he still won.
“He’s an unbelievable horse. Aidan knows exactly what they need to do, he knows how to get them here better than anyone. It’s lovely to ride a horse like this.”
Moore was adding an 83rd winner to his Royal Ascot tally, having chalked up his 82nd onboard Port Fairy (Australia) in the Ribblesdale Stakes (Gr 2, 1m 4f) earlier in the afternoon. The two victories took Moore past Frankie Dettori to become the most successful active rider at the royal meeting.
O’Brien, who was saddling his record-extending ninth Gold Cup winner and an 89th success at Royal Ascot, was as ever quick to play down his part in this latest historic success.
“There were so many people involved in bringing him back following his injury,” said Ireland’s perennial champion trainer after sending out his 401st elite-level winner on the flat. “It was really impossible to come back from what he came back from. At one stage we weren’t sure he would live.
“He got an infection in his joint, and it got into the joint capsule. Usually what happens is that they lose the movement in the joint – and for a while he did, but it came back! It’s from the care that they all took to get him back. It’s incredible.
“At one stage, it didn’t look like he was going to live. Then it was getting him to stand, and then to walk, then to trot, then teaching him how to canter again, because he had to move all his body in different ways again. It was incredible, it’s unbelievable really. He always had the most incredible mind, that was always his power probably, was his mind.
“His owners have shown great patience with him, he had two lovely runs when he was back last year and did well over the winter.
“He’s a beautiful horse and Ryan was masterful with how he rode him. He had to judge exactly when to go on him, which is not an easy thing to do.”
Carrying the colours of his breeders Moyglare Stud and raced in a partnership which includes Coolmore, Kyprios boasts a stamina-laden pedigree. He is the tenth foal out of the winning Danehill (Danzig) mare Polished Gem, making him a brother to the Group 3 winner Falcon Eight, who also boasted a Chester Cup (2m 2.5f) success and Search For A Song, whose tally of five wins included a victory in the 2020 running of the Irish St Leger (Gr 1, 1m 6f).
41 for Australia
Australia (Galileo), a resident at Coolmore Stud, registered his 41st individual stakes winner when Port Fairy (3 f ex Fabulae by Fastnet Rock) dug deep to win the Ribblesdale Stakes (Gr 2, 1m 4f) at Royal Ascot, providing Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore their second consecutive win and fifth overall in the Group 2. The filly went into the race off the back of a second-placed finish in the Cheshire Oaks (Listed, 1m 3.5f) and she raced in second on Thursday behind the tearaway leader You Got To Me (Nathaniel). As the leader faded approaching the home straight, Port Fairy loomed up with the David O’Meara-trained Lava Stream (Too Darn Hot) for company. After a thrilling battle up the home straight, Port Fairy crossed the line a neck ahead of Lava Stream. Kalpana (Study Of Man), who was sent off favourite, finished another length and a three-quarters away in third. Port Fairy is out of the unplaced Fastnet Rock (Danehill) mare Fabulae and further back this is the same family as Group 1 winner and now Cheveley Park-based stallion Ulysses (Galileo). Australia stands for a fee of €17,500 (approx. AU$28,100).
Irish Oaks plan for Port Fairy
After her win in the Ribblesdale, Aidan O’Brien said he would now likely aim Port Fairy at the Irish Oaks (Gr 1, 1m 4f) at the Curragh on July 20. “We just thought Epsom was going to come too quick for her [after she finished second in the Cheshire Oaks] so we gave her a bit of time,” said O’Brien. “Ryan said maybe try a visor on her at home, when she was coming here, so we put a visor on her the last day, and her work really stepped up. She looks like she’d be a lovely Irish Oaks filly now, and she gets it well, she stays well. And Ryan was brilliant on her – he didn’t panic even when the second went by her. It was class.” Regarding Moore’s 82nd victory at the royal meeting, meaning he surpasses Frankie Dettori’s record, O’Brien said: “It’s incredible for Ryan to have achieved what he has, and at his age – he must be ten years younger than Frankie [Dettori], isn’t he?” Moore said: “It was a good fight. She has improved a lot this year. She wouldn’t show you a great deal in the mornings, she’s a very relaxed horse. I had a nice run round, she’s straightforward, very uncomplicated, and she really tried hard.”
34 for Not This Time
Taylor Made Farm-based resident Not This Time (Giant’s Causeway) scored his 34th individual stakes winner and first in Britain when his son Shareholder (2 c ex Cloudy Dancer by Invincible Spirit) took out Thursday’s Norfolk Stakes (Gr 2, 5f) at Royal Ascot, handing racing’s newest superpower Wathnan Racing, trainer Karl Burke and jockey James Doyle their second juvenile stakes winner of the week. The colt was thrown in the deep end having only broken his maiden in a five-furlong event at Beverley on June 8. However, he had no issues with the step up in class, coming home strongly to beat Tropical Storm (Eqtidaar) by a length. Arizona Blaze (Sergei Prokofiev) came home a further head away in third. Purchased by MC Bloodstock for US$62,000 at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale in 2023, the colt then sold to Blandford Bloodstock for €460,000 when reoffered by Gaybrook Lodge Stud at the Arqana May Breeze-Up Sale earlier this year. Shareholder is out of the unraced mare Cloudy Dancer (Invincible Spirit), herself a daughter of Listed scorer Ronaldsay (Kirkwall), making her a half-sister to Group 3 winner Gale Force Ten (Oasis Dream) and stakes winner Rousay (Muhaarar). Not This Time stands for a fee of US$150,000 (approx. AU$225,000).
Shareholder impresses Burke
Karl Burke was understandably pleased with Shareholder’s Norfolk Stakes triumph and he said he expected the colt to become a Commonwealth Cup (Gr 1, 6f) horse in the future. “Shareholder did a hell of a lot wrong the first time, but I knew he’d step forward from that, even physically. Although he was two or three kilos lighter coming here today than Beverley, he looked bigger and stronger. Great credit must go to Richard Brown [Blandford Bloodstock]; I know he had plenty of money to spend, but he’s bought very well. Richard was quietly confident that he’d be able to turn the seven pounds around with Sheikh Rashid’s horse [Moving Force], but I think this is a very good horse, and he’ll stay six furlongs as well. I thought we were going to get nabbed a furlong out, and then he’s gone again. I love the way he stretched again in the last 50 yards. I would say he’s speed. I think he will definitely stay six furlongs and I’m sure he’ll be a Commonwealth Cup horse. I would think we’ll step him up next time but I’ll speak to the guys. I don’t think he’ll be a Guineas horse, he hasn’t shown us that, although he relaxed very well today, so I suppose he has a chance.” It was the second winner of the week for Wathnan Racing, Karl Burke and James Doyle, with the same team having teamed up to win the first race on Wednesday courtesy of Leovanni’s (Kodi Bear) success in the Queen Mary Stakes (Gr 2, 5f).
Jayarebe holds on in the Hampton Court Stakes
Brian Meehan and Sean Leavy chalked up their second wins of the week when Jayarebe (3 c Zoffany – Alakhana by Dalakhani) prevailed in a thrilling finish to win Thursday’s Hampton Court Stakes (Gr 3, 1m 2f). Last seen finishing third in the Dee Stakes (Listed, 1m 2.5f) at Chester, the colt galloped home strongly to cross the line three-quarters of a length ahead of King’s Gambit (Saxon Warrior), who finished strongly from the back of the field. Bellum Justum (Sea The Stars) was third. A €180,000 purchase for Sam Sangster Bloodstock from the Arqana October Yearling Sale, Jayarebe’s previous stakes win came in April’s Feilden Stakes (Listed, 1m 1f) at Newmarket. Meehan’s first winner of the week was Rashabar (Holy Roman Emperor) in Tuesday’s Coventry Stakes (Gr 2, 6f), while Leavy saluted onboard Rosallion (Blue Point) in the St James’s Palace Stakes (Gr 1, 1m) on the same card.
Going The Distance swoops late to keep winning run going
The progressive Going The Distance (Lope De Vega) notched his fourth win on the bounce when coming late and wide to take out a rough running of the King George V Stakes (1m 4f) at Royal Ascot. Settled well back in the 19-runner field by Rossa Ryan as the Rachel King-ridden Highland Bling (Highland Reel) cut out the early running, Going The Distance avoided the barging match on his inside as he came with a relentless late run, beating Neski Sherelski (Churchill) by a half-length with Go Daddy (Smooth Daddy) the same margin away in third. The first two home filled the last two places turning for home and while Jamie Spencer elected to head for the rails, Ryan pulled the Ralph Beckett-trained gelding wide to ensure a clear passage. “It was a balls of steel ride and it worked out well,” said Beckett, who was celebrating his second winner at this year’s royal meeting and his sixth in total. “I said yesterday that Doha wasn’t a plot but this was a bit of a plot. When he won around Kempton in April, he got four or five pounds for winning there so it all fitted together like a glove.” Ryan, who went agonisingly close when second on stablemate Sonny Liston (Lawman) in the previous afternoon’s [Wednesday] Hunt Cup (1m) added: “They went a good gallop down the bend, so I was confident that they would come back. When I sat into him turning in, he came alive underneath me. Every which way I wanted the race to pan out… there was just a wall of horses on the inside, so I just switched out and finished out well. He had a little look around in front so, hopefully there will be more to come.”
Mickley shines in Britannia Stakes
In winning the Britannia Stakes (1m) on Thursday, Mickley (Soldier’s Call) provided trainer Ed Bethall and jockey Callum Rodriguez with their first victories at Royal Ascot. The three-year-old had won his two previous starts this season and he kept that perfect thread intact when beating Skukuza (Blue Point) by three-quarters of a length. Native Warrior (Wootton Bassett) came home a further two and a half lengths away in third. Originally bought by Megan Nicholls for 18,000gns at the Tattersalls Foal Sale in 2021, Mickley was then bought by Blandford Bloodstock and his trainer for 20,000gns at Book 3 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale the following year. Having recently been bought last week by Hong Kong-based owner Pak-Kwan Sui, Mickley is likely to be transferred to the Asian jurisdiction in the near future.
More Joy for Wathnan
The spending spree of Wathnan Racing continued to reap instant dividends when another of their recent buys English Oak (Wootton Bassett) landed the concluding Buckingham Palace Stakes (7f) on Thursday’s Royal Ascot card. Trained by Ed Walker, the four-year-old scored at odds of 100-30, beating Billyjoh (Mayson) by three lengths. Carrytheone (Lope De Vega) finished a further length away in third.
Believing set to back up in Jubilee Stakes
Believing (Mehmas), who was beaten less than two lengths when fourth behind Asfoora (Flying Artie) in Tuesday’s King Charles III Stakes (Gr 1, 5f) at Royal Ascot, is set for a quick return to action with the four-year-old featuring among 14 declarations for Saturday’s Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes (Gr 1, 6f) on the final day of the royal meeting. Believing will receive three pounds from her 13 rivals in the feature Group 1, with the exception of fellow fillies Swingalong (Showcasing) and Vadream (Brazen Beau). The latter also contested the King Charles III, beating just one rival home.
Elite Status an unlikely runner in Commonwealth Cup
Karl Burke warned on Thursday that last-start Carnarvon Stakes (Listed, 6f) winner Elite Status (Havana Grey) is unlikely to take his place in Friday’s Commonwealth Cup (Gr 1, 6f) after knocking one of his joints. The colt finished third in last year’s Norfolk Stakes and was around a 4-1 shot for Friday’s Royal Ascot three-year-old Group 1.