Kyprios wins a second Gold Cup in thrilling renewal at Ascot

Aidan O’Brien’s Kyprios shows his best to win the Ascot Gold Cup for second time, to follow his 2022 victory.

William Buick set a steady pace on Trawlerman, who defeated Kyprios on QIPCO British Champions Day last year, but the 2022 Gold Cup winner showed his class to win a second Gold Cup, giving Ryan Moore and Aidan O’Brien another Royal Ascot winner.

The 11-10 favourite made his move wide into the home straight, and was tracked by Vauban, but a battle between Trawlerman and Kyprios unfolded with the latter prevailing.

Aidan knows exactly what is required to win this race and how to get his horses ready.

Moore said on ITV: “It was smooth early on, and when Caius Chorister ran off with Benoit [De la Sayette], I ended up having to go round her and he was going too well too early.

“He was more value than the winning distance. We didn’t get it quite right but he still won.

“Aidan knows exactly what is required to win this race and how to get his horses ready. I’m lucky to ride a horse like this and it’s great he can come back and do it again.”

I’d say it’s millions to one and really impossible for him to come back from what he came back from,” said O’Brien. “At one stage we weren’t sure he’d live. No horse has ever been x-rayed or scanned more in their life than him.

“When he came back we had to get him on a treadmill and teach him how to walk. Then we had to teach him how to trot and then how to hack and this was before a rider even went near him. It was like someone having the most horrific injury as a human being and it was winning the Olympics to get back to moving and walking but this horse has come back to the very top level, which is unbelievable really.