KYPRIOS enjoys magnificent seven to complete perfect season

Kyprios maintained his perfect record this season when stamping his authority on the Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup at Ascot.

Aidan O’Brien’s chestnut was ridden by regular partner Ryan Moore as the 8-11 favourite and came into the race off the back of a remarkable campaign in which he had won each of his six starts, including four successive Group Ones.

He increased that tally to seven overall in the staying event, travelling prominently throughout and kicking into another gear on the turn for home to pull away from the runner-up, John and Thady Gosden’s Sweet William.

Kyprios came home two and a quarter lengths clear, with another Gosden-trained runner in Trawlerman a further length and a half back in third.

O’Brien said: “What can you say about him. Obviously the people around him, everyone who is around him have made it happen. There’s such a big team and they’ve all played a part.

“He’s a very special horse, something that we’ve never seen before, he’s relentless and has an unbelievable amount of quality.

“If they want to go slow or fast, it doesn’t matter to him. Ryan rides him brilliantly, he knows him inside out.

“We thought John’s horse would go on (Trawlerman) as he made the running last year. If he didn’t then Christophe’s (Soumillon) horse (The Euphrates) is very happy making the running. If John’s horse wanted to go we were very happy and Christophe gave him that opportunity.

“We could see nobody wanted to go so Christophe was very happy to make the running, he did it in the Irish St Leger. If he didn’t go on, Ryan was happy to.

“What can you say about Ryan? When you see him in that position it is usually very good for us.

“He hasn’t had much of a race today, he was the same in France the last day – he lost no weight, ever since then all he’s done is put weight on.

“He’s an incredibly classy horse.”

John Gosden said of the placed horses: “They both have run really well. Aidan’s horses controlled the pace up front and everyone thought there would be a good gallop and the front runners took back, so the fractions were pretty steady before they gradually increased it and kicked off the bend.

“Both of ours ran really well and both would have preferred a stronger, even pace. There was not much William (Buick, on Trawlerman) could have done about it as he was tucked in on the inside and Sweet William was three-wide the whole way.

“They’ve run exceptionally well but the winner has just got a gear more than the rest, simple as that.

“I think we’ll come back with these horses next year. They are lovely horses for staying races and both have great enthusiasm for it, they make it fun. These old long-distance horses make things fun and people enjoy the Gold Cup.”

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[frankelforever]

Star of the season for me. What a horse and what a training feat getting him back better than ever.

[HannahSoodeen-uy]

Kyprios a true champion hats of to AOB and the team who looks after this amazing champion and R M for his amazing ride

[patriciaguth]

He's not getting older, he's getting better!

[jamesmcgreal]

Now there's the best horse that's at Ascot Today, Truly a Superstar by far 💯🎶🐴

[aman]

The bounce of a champion right there. This horse will be AOB's (horse) son forever. Making history in racing is what it's all about.

[aman]

simply put, A dream horse for all. A polished gem really all credit goes to AOB and the team and ryan great riding great tactics christy played it well too.

[GBeret]

Lest we forget, Kyprios had an unbeaten campaign in 2022 also. Kyprios won all six races that he started in 2022. In doing that, Kyprios accomplished the rarity of winning what are considered the two premier G1 staying races in Europe run over 2-1/2 miles/20F in the same season when he won the G1 Ascot Gold Cup that June and the G1 Prix Du Cadran that October. A G1 double which had proven so difficult and elusive to win in the same season that prior to Kyprios winning both in 2022, the feat hadn't been achieved since Levmoss won both races in 1969 and Sagaro both races in 1976. However, it would be nearly a year (344 days) after his G1 Prix Du Cadran win at Longchamp in October, 2022 before Kyprios would be seen on a racetrack again. He'd developed a serious fetlock infection in his joint which got into the joint capsule. The infection so serious that trainer Aidan O'Brien would later say that at one point they didn't think that Kyprios was even going to live. In 2023, Kyprios didn't get to defend his Ascot Gold Cup or his Prix Du Cadran title. He did make it back to run twice during the latter part of the 2023 season. Both runs respectable efforts, but that ended with 2nd-place finishes both times for Kyprios. In September, 2023 he was beaten 3-1/2 lengths in the G1 Irish St Leger at the Curragh by Eldar Eldarov, the colt who'd won the G1 English St Leger & G2 Queen's Vase as 3YO in 2022. His other run in the 2023 G2 British Champions Long Distance Cup saw him beaten a neck by Godolphin's Trawlerman. A result he easily reversed in the 2024 renewal, beating Sweet William in 2nd-place by 2-1/4 lengths and Trawlerman in 3rd-place by 3-3/4 lengths. Six months after losing the 2023 BC Long Distance Cup, Kyprios would begin his 2024 campaign. He won the listed Vintage Crop Stakes in April and the G3 Savel Beg Stakes in May in Ireland at Navan & Leopardstown respectively. In June he regained his G1 Ascot Gold Cup crown he'd lifted at Royal-Ascot two years earlier. Then came two more G1 wins in July in the G1 Goodwood Cup and in September in the G1 Irish St Leger. Then during Arc weekend in October he would also regain his G1 Prix Du Cadran crown before finishing the 2024 season with his win here in the G2 British Champions Long Distance Cup. That would make Kyprios a perfect 7 for 7 in his first full season back to racing since his near death experience in 2023 from a joint infection. And lest we forget, after overcoming so much to get all the way back to being able to race at the top level again, Kyprios showed how real his class is by completing the rare G1 double of winning the Ascot Gold Cup & Prix Du Cadran once again in the same season after nearly losing his life a year earlier. Love this horse!!

[sammyadds]

Congratulations to all involved that’s some beast! All stamina

[tipster-challenge]

did you notice how respectful Aidan OBrien was of being interviewed by Mike Catermole who is a gentleman, unlike some of the other so called racing journalists who seem to have a rather inflated idea about themselves!! A great performance by Kyprios showing his superior class in a fairly deep race.

[sionrouge]

Over the past 30 years it's been him and Yates.

[ryanhodson]

I said it last video ill say it this video kyprios is the greatest stayer ever. Better than stradiviruis better than yates just the very best

[noemiangeles]

Magnifica carreras de caballos
Gracias por enviarmelas
Saludos desde México! 🇲🇽

[altayebahmed]

i wish Kyprios would participate at the dubai world cup event next year just so i can see him live :)

[tonyward]

At that distance, who could beat him ??

[SibusisoMayisela-yv]

This horse can stay for the whole year 🤦🏽‍♂️

[caderbavahmuhammadsiddick]

SOLID MATERIAL 👍 🐎🩷🤎💜 MASHA ALLAH, LOVELY 😍 💞💞💞May he win the GOLD CUP 🏆 next year INSHA ALLAH 🩵💚💙

[RobbyBox-bx]

Would win a champion hurdle if he went over hurdles

[mayday-gs]

what wrong with aob why does he talk like that

[mattsmith]

At least he's not owned by the lads