Aidan O'Brien 'over the moon' with superstar stayer Kyprios as trainer raises possibility of Arc run this season

Star stayer Kyprios will have a similar campaign to 2024 when he recorded a stunning seven-race unbeaten streak, but trainer Aidan O'Brien has also floated the idea of dropping in trip in the autumn for a tilt at the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

The seven-year-old, who is a general 66-1 shot for the Arc, suffered a life-threatening infection after landing the Prix du Cadran in astonishing style in 2022, but made an extraordinary recovery to get to the track twice in 2023 before returning to the peak of his powers last year when he won four Group 1s, including a second Gold Cup at Royal Ascot.

"We're over the moon with Kyprios and we think he's forward," said O'Brien. "He'll go to Navan [Vintage Crop Stakes], Leopardstown [Saval Beg] and then to Ascot [Gold Cup], but if we are as successful as last year we might have a look at the Arc instead of the Cadran."

O'Brien also revealed that last year's Irish Derby winner and Arc third Los Angeles will likely reappear in the Prix Ganay at Longchamp later this month, while star juvenile filly Lake Victoria is quickly coming to hand and could make the Betfred 1,000 Guineas line-up at Newmarket next month. 

Lake Victoria: in contention for the 1,000 GuineasCredit: Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images

"Los Angeles might go to the Ganay and come back [to Ireland] for the Tattersalls Gold Cup," said O'Brien. "If that went well, he could go for the Prince of Wales's Stakes. We'll try to keep him at a mile and a quarter for as long as we can before looking at the King George. We think going back to the Arc will suit him.

"Lake Victoria is on the way back. We stepped it up with her a couple weeks ago and she's really coming along. She could be there in time for the Guineas, but if she isn't she could go to the Curragh on the Monday [Athasi Stakes] instead. If she does make it to Newmarket, Exactly would go to the French Guineas."

O'Brien, who has sent out a record-breaking 45 British Classic winners from Ballydoyle, added: "You can have the place and the horses, but if you don't have the people it won't happen. There are more than 300 staff here and there are teams of people involved in the horses. I try to name the people directly involved with those horses on the day of a race, but outside them there are people I don't get to mention. They're all people who make it happen."

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