Thursday at Royal Ascot: Kyprios on the drift as punters look for Gold Cup alternatives

Your one-stop shop for Royal Ascot news on Thursday . . .

Market move: Gold Cup favourite Kyprios on the drift

Kyprios is as big as 13-8 with William Hill to regain his Ascot Gold Cup (4.25) crown on Thursday. The 2022 winner was odds-on to provide Aidan O'Brien with a record-extending ninth victory in the day three highlight at the start of Royal Ascot week but has been on the drift today.

The six-year-old beat Mojo Star and three-time winner of the race Stradivarius when landing this prestigious Group 1 on his first trip to Ascot two years ago, but was beaten a neck by Trawlerman at the Berkshire venue in October.

The winner of that British Champions Long Distance Cup is one of three representatives for John and Thady Gosden along with Gregory and Sweet William. Last year's Queen's Vase winner Gregory is the clear second favourite at 9-2 to secure back-to-back wins at the royal meeting, with Trawlerman a 6-1 chance to confirm the form of his last meeting with Kyprios.

ASCOT, ENGLAND - JUNE 16: Kyprios ridden by Ryan Moore beats Mojo Star (6) ridden by Rossa Ryan and Stradivarius (3) ridden by Frankie Dettori on the way to winning The Gold Cup during day three of Royal Ascot 2022 at Ascot Racecourse on June 16, 2022 in

Kyprios (red cap) winning the 2022 Ascot Gold CupCredit: Alex Livesey (Getty Images)

Despite winning both of his starts since that defeat, landing a Listed event at Navan on his seasonal debut before scoring in Group 3 company at Leopardstown last time, some punters remain unconvinced Kyprios can extend his perfect record this term.

Betfred spokesman Matt Hulmes said: "Kyprios is weak in the Gold Cup. Having been odds-on at declaration time, he is now readily available at 6-4, and Gregory and Trawlerman have been backed against him.

“It is a different story with Kyprios’s stablemate Whistlejacket in the opening Norfolk Stakes, who is solid in the market having been supported from 7-4 yesterday into 11-8.

“One of the best-backed horses of the day is the King and Queen’s Gilded Water in the King George V Stakes. He is into 11-2 from 8-1 to emulate Desert Hero, who famously won this race last year in the royal silks."

Posted at 2.05pm

Market support: money comes for Murphy's mounts

Oisin Murphy has already enjoyed a productive Royal Ascot week with three victories and there has been support for some of the three-time champion jockey's mounts on Thursday.

Murphy won Tuesday's King Charles III Stakes on Australian sprinter Asfoora before steering Running Lion and Wild Tiger to success in the Duke Of Cambridge Stakes and Royal Hunt Cup respectively on Wednesday.

Murphy is one winner clear of Ryan Moore in the leading jockey standings for the royal meeting and Kalpana is into 5-2 (from 9-2) in the Ribblesdale Stakes (3.45) to help him maintain that advantage.

Kalpana has some eyecatching juvenile form, most notably when chasing home subsequent Group 2 Sandy Lane winner Inisherin, but managed only second when backed into odds-on favouritism at Newmarket last time.

The winner of that Listed Pretty Polly Stakes, Friendly Soul, did not frank the form when finishing last of seven in the Musidora on her sole start since. However, despite being beaten at 4-6 last time, punters are siding with Kalpana against the general 9-4 favourite Diamond Rain.

Johnny Dineen was unconvinced about the support for the Andrew Balding-trained Juddemonte filly, saying on the Racing Post's Good Morning Royal Ascot preview show: "I’m amazed how short Kalpana is.

"She was beaten fair and square by Friendly Soul, who ran all over the place in the Musidora. If you gave me 10-1 Kalpana and you couldn’t trade out of the bet, I wouldn’t have it."

The King Charles III Stakes won by Asfoora and Oisin Murphy for trainer Henry Dwyer (right)

Oisin Murphy (left): leading rider at the 2024 Royal Ascot meeting so farCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Balding and Murphy later combine in the Hampton Court Stakes (5.40) with Bellum Justum, who is 11-1 (from 14) to get back to winning ways in the Group 3. Bellum Justum landed the Listed Blue Riband Trial on his seasonal debut at Epsom in April before finishing seventh in the Derby at the same track.

Beaten horses in that Epsom Classic have a good record in the Hampton Court, demonstrated last year by Waipiro, who was sixth behind Auguste Rodin in the Derby before winning this next time out.

Murphy was as big as 16-1 to be the leading rider at Royal Ascot at the start of the week but is now a 9-2 chance with Ladbrokes to take that accolade, although Moore has market leaders Whistlejacket and Kyprios to ride in the Norfolk Stakes (2.30) and Gold Cup (4.25) respectively today.

Ladbrokes spokesperson Nicola McGeady said: “Oisin Murphy is gathering momentum in the race to be crowned top jockey at Royal Ascot as he leads the way, but it’s all to play for this afternoon."

Posted at 12.00pm

Royal Ascot market movers

3.45
6. Kalpana 5-2 (from 9-2)
13. You Got Me 6-1 (from 8)

4.25
6. Trawlerman 6-1 (from 7)

5.05
23. Mickley 8-1 (from 12)

5.40
2. Bellum Justum 11-1 (from 14)

Updated at 12pm

Non-runner: Trueshan out of the Gold Cup

Trueshan will not run in the Ascot Gold Cup (4.25) due to unsuitably quick ground for the fourth successive year. Trainer Alan King has declared the eight-year-old for every Gold Cup since 2021 before taking him out of Thursday's feature Group 1 when the desired overnight rain failed to materialise.

The three-time course winner is yet to run at Royal Ascot, having also been taken out of the Queen Alexandra Stakes in 2022 for the same going concerns, and his absence leaves ten runners in the £650,000 event.

Trainer Ralph Beckett's representation in the Ribblesdale Stakes (3.45) has been halved after Forest Fairy was withdrawn from the Group 2 for fillies. The daughter of Waldgeist has not run on ground quicker than good in her three starts and with the going good to firm again at Ascot on Thursday, she will not line up in the £273,000 event.

Forest Fairy had last been seen finishing seventh in the Oaks and You Got To Me, who finished three places ahead of her stablemate in the Epsom Classic, will solely represent Beckett in a race in which he saddled last year's third Bluestocking.

In the Buckingham Palace Stakes (6.15), Awaal will not make his seasonal debut for Simon and Ed Crisford. Last year's Lincoln runner-up had been a general 12-1 chance to go two better than his third in the Royal Hunt Cup at this meeting 12 months ago off a 3lb lower mark.

However, the five-year-old is unable to run on veterinary grounds for the Crisfords, who have already endured the disappointment of stable star Vandeek missing Friday's Commonwealth Cup.

Awaal's absence in the finale means that Oisin Murphy, who leads the jockeys' standings after three winners in the first two days at the royal meeting, has seen his full book of rides reduced to six.

Posted at 9am

Going update: ground remains good to firm after more watering

The going remains good to firm ahead of the third day of Royal Ascot after more water was applied to the track on Wednesday evening.

"We watered with 5mm everywhere overnight," clerk of the course Chris Stickels said at 8am. "Today is forecast to be fine and dry and I think the same for tomorrow. At the moment, there is the threat of some light showers for Saturday."

Posted at 8am

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