Kyprios heads stellar set of stayers in QIPCO British Champions Long Distance Cup

Kyprios and Trawlerman, who have already lit up Ascot twice with thrilling duels, are set to give QIPCO British Champions Day another rousing start when heading a field of nine for the £450,000 QIPCO British Champions Long Distance Cup.

Dual Gold Cup winner Kyprios is set to start the afternoon’s shortest-priced favourite as he bids to stretch this year’s unbeaten run to seven races and to avenge last year’s narrow defeat here at the hands of Trawlerman, but it’s sobering to note that Aidan O’Brien has not had a winner from 26 runners since Magical won the 2019 QIPCO Champion Stakes. 

O’Brien, already assured of another champion trainer title in Britain this year, had six possibles here after Monday’s confirmation stage and also saddles the three-year-old The Euphrates, who picked up a very valuable handicap prize last time in the Irish Cesarewitch. 

Kyprios was on the comeback trail following a career-threatening injury when Trawlerman beat him last year. This time he arrives the undisputed champion stayer, unbeaten in six races, including the Gold Cup (from Trawlerman) at Ascot, the Goodwood Cup and the Prix du Cadran, all of which he also won in 2022.

 The John and Thady Gosden-trained Trawlerman, who has not raced since Royal Ascot, is joined by stable-mate Sweet William, who was a remote third here last year but has been in great form since and beat triple Long Distance Cup winner Trueshan easily in the Doncaster Cup last time. 

Tom Clover is among those hoping to spoil the party with Al Nayyir, who joined him this year via the United Arab Emirates and France. Al Nayyir was narrowly beaten by Vauban in the Group 2 Weatherbys Hamilton Lonsdale Cup at York on his first start for the stable (Alsakib in rear) and then romped away with the Jockey Club Rose Bowl on soft ground at Newmarket last month. 

Clover said: “He worked on Sunday morning and seems really well in himself. If he can repeat the two runs he has had for us we would be hopeful of having a good chance. He is ground versatile as well. It’s an amazing day, having been fifth in the QEII last year with Rogue Millennium, and always a terrific day’s racing for great prize money, supported by QIPCO.” 

David Menuisier can excuse Caius Chorister her recent race at Longchamp and said: “She was travelling sweet when another runner came on her outside three furlongs out and she felt entrapped and tried to run away, so ran her race in the false straight and had nothing more to offer. She’d beaten the winner (Grateful) at Goodwood.  

“With Kyprios running we are just going there for the breadcrumbs, but she has some of the best form of the others and finishing second or third would be great.” 

Royal Ascot winner Belloccio represents Willie Mullins, and the field is completed by Burdett Road, the one-time Triumph Hurdle favourite who was revelation when switched to front-running tactics last time at Newmarket.