Kyprios completed the perfect season, as he remained unbeaten in the Group 2 QIPCO British Champions Long Distance Cup at Ascot.
The Aidan O’Brien-trained 8/11 favourite showed his strength and determination was he ran out a two and a quarter length winner of the longest race on British Champions Day.
Ridden by Ryan Moore, the son of Galileo tracked his stable companion The Euphrates throughout most of the contest, with the recent Prix Du Cadran winner at ParisLongchamp taking command on entering the home straight.
Though Sweet William (8/1 and Trawlerman (5/1) last year’s third and winner respectively, challenged last season’s runner-up, the Moyglare Stud and Coolmore partners-owned Kyprios dug deep to improve his season’s record to seven wins from seven race.
Sweet William, with Rab Havlin in the saddle, was second for John and Thady Gosden, while Trawlerman and William Buick were a length and a half back in third place.
Incredibly the victory was a first win for Ballydoyle handler Aidan O’Brien at British Champions Day since 2019.
Speaking to the assembled media post-race, O’Brien said:
“All credit goes to the team – everyone at home who has done all the work with him and have a very close connection to him. It is incredible to have him back [Kyprios had a serious infection in a joint capsule after the 2022 season]. We thought the best that would happen would be that we could save him to go to stud. He still has a massive team around him. His stable is outside the front door and we see him every day.
“He is a very special horse. Ryan was in total control on him after the first furlong, and it was a joy to watch it. He is relentless and has an unbelievable amount of quality, so it doesn’t matter if you go slow or if you go fast, he just goes there and he switches off. Ryan rides him incredibly and knows him inside out.”
O’Brien continued by discussing the winner’s attitude to racing:
“He is very relaxed, loves racing, and he loves this distance and finds it very comfortable. Credit to the lads for leaving him at this distance – he enjoys it. You wouldn’t have known he had had a race the last day and he didn’t lose any weight. He is so laidback, his blood doesn’t get up until after the race – you can see him now, having a buck – but it takes a race to get his blood up.
“The plan was to come here, give him the winter off, then give him two trials before the Gold Cup next year. So that’s what we are working for – we will get through the winter and the spring, and try to come back here for the Gold Cup.”
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