Kyprios 'in great form' and continues on familiar path back to Gold Cup

Superstar stayer Kyprios blew the cobwebs away with a satisfactory win on his return to action in the Vintage Crop Stakes at Navan three weeks ago and continues to tread a familiar path back to Royal Ascot next month.

The seven-year-old successfully contested the Vintage Crop and Leopardstown's Saval Beg Levmoss Stakes prior to both his Ascot Gold Cup victories last year and in 2022. He missed the majority of 2023 owing to a serious injury. 

He sauntered past the post to win this race by 14 lengths in 2022, while last year's victory was a more muted performance characteristic of the Kyprios we know and love, obliging by a length at odds of 1-12.  

"Everything has gone well since Navan,” said trainer Aidan O’Brien. “We were delighted with his comeback run and Ryan [Moore] was very happy. It was always the plan to come here next and he seems in great form. He seems to be taking everything in his stride this season.”

Standing in the way of Kyprios will be four young challengers seeking to usurp the king of the staying division. Leading the assault is Leopardstown Group 3 winner Dallas Star. He caused an upset last year when winning the Ballysax Stakes in style over a mile and a furlong on heavy ground. He ran no race subsequently in the Derby but returned to winning ways at Dundalk in February. 

He has been a little disappointing in his two runs since that victory and now takes the step up to a mile and six furlongs for the first time. His trainer Adrian Murray said: “It is a tall order to get close to Kyprios but hopefully we can give him a run for his money.”

O'Brien also runs Mont St Michel, while the Dermot Weld-trained Duraji and Jessica Harrington's Satin complete the line-up.

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