Kyprios (13-8 favourite) held off Mojo Star in a thrilling battle to land the Ascot Gold Cup on the third day of Royal Ascot 2022 – also denying Stradivarius a record-equalling fourth victory.
Aidan O’Brien’s four-year-old, under Ryan Moore, grabbed the Group One feature in Berkshire, beating Mojo Star (15-2) by a half-a-length with triple Gold star Stradivarius (2-1) third, unable to join the great Yeats – another former Ballydoyle inmate – on four successes.
John and Thady Gosden’s staying star missed out on a fourth win last season as Subjectivist landed the Gold Cup and although the eight-year-old returned to Berkshire again, it was the up-and-coming Kyprios who landed the spoils.
On his first try at the marathon 2m4f, stepped up from 1m6f in his two starts this season, the Galileo colt battled all the way to the line to give O'Brien a record eighth Gold Cup victory.
Off a slow early pace set by Earlofthecotswolds, there were plenty of horses in with a chance coming into the straight with last year's runner-up, the mare Princess Zoe, initially hitting the front. But Moore and Kyprios, along with last season's Cazoo Derby and St Leger runner-up Mojo Star, took over on the run to the line. The John and Thady Gosden-trained veteran Stradivarius, who had to come round a wall of horses, eventually tried to bridge the gap under Frankie Dettori. But he was never getting there as Kyprios and Mojo Star drove to the line, with the former holding on for another famous win for O'Brien.
The Irish trainer was having his second winner of the week and his 78th overall. Kyprios joins his illustrious predecessors – four-time hero Yeats (2006-2009) and similar four-year-olds Fame And Glory (2011), Leading Light (2014) and Order of St George (2016) – as a Golden stayer for the Ballydoyle team.
O'Brien said: "Ryan gave Kyprios a great ride. He saved him, held him and controlled the race.
"I'm delighted for everyone. It's brilliant. Everyone is here and he is a very brave horse.
"We thought he would be (a Gold Cup horse) last year. We took him here last year, but he came out underneath the stalls. His back was badly bruised and he didn't get to race any more.
"He missed the St Leger last year, so it was always the plan that we would train him with this race in mind and give him two preps for it.
"Everything went great and we think he is a horse who will come on more.
"Its incredible and it was great Stradivarius was here and he ran in this race. It makes these races even more special and incredible. I'm delighted for all the lads and the team."
Winning jockey Moore, also having his second winner of the week and 68th overall at Royal Ascot, believes there is even more to come from Kyprios.
He said: "It wasn't a nice race to ride. Kyprios stepped slow for him which was unusual. I didn't like the position I was in. I knew I had Frankie on my inside and they were going slow up front.
"I had to move him to the outside and I don't like doing that, but I felt I had to keep Kyprios going.
"He's got there and Mojo Star has come to us and this fella kicked in then and it was comfortable at the line.
"It wasn't a true test today, I don't think we saw the best of him. I'm glad he has come over here and won – there are plenty more good days to be had with him.
"He is brave. It was a more complicated race than it should have been. I think he was much the best."
On Stradivarius, jockey Dettori said: "Stradivarius ran good. I had an inside draw and I had to be careful with what I was doing.
"The pace wasn't that strong and in the end there was nowhere to go, so I had to take him on the outside which cost me a little bit.
"I don't think (it cost me the race). The younger horses had fresher legs. I didn't make too much headway when I pulled him out, only maybe half a length and as we got to the line they were going stronger than me.
"He has been a good hero, he has been magnificent for racing and a brilliant horse. He just got beat today, he tried and went down fighting.
"He has been a star. You have to pass on the baton to the younger ones. He did his best and we're very proud of him."
Trainer John Gosden added: "I think there was obviously no real pace and I was a bit surprised being in the box seat we dropped back so far.
"The problem is when they sprint, you've got to get a run and he had to come widest of all, so his head was turned around to get a run. He had a chance the last furlong, but the race had just slipped on them. They had gone a pretty, steady old pace.
"Great horse to get here and to turn up now in five Gold Cups, just to be here, and to have the longevity he's had. He has come back in and he's had a nay, he seems happy. So a great credit to the horse and to the owner-breeder for keeping him racing.
"There are younger horses there who are first and second, but I think I just wish we'd been a little handier and not had to go round a wall of horses."
