Kyprios cements his status as staying king with second Goodwood Cup success

Group 1 triumphs have become the norm for Kyprios - but even by his standards there was something special about Tuesday's victory in the Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup.

Aidan O'Brien's six-year-old was notching a sixth success at the top level and completing the Gold Cup-Goodwood Cup double for the second time as he confirmed his spot at the top of the staying division. In doing so under sweltering temperatures, he lowered the course record at the West Sussex track by more than three seconds, winning in 3min 21.53sec.

Nerves were high in the Ballydoyle camp before Kyprios's bid to land a second victory in the £500,000 contest, but despite sweating up at the start and a slip on the bend, Kyprios proved a class apart from his five rivals as he won by four lengths from the John and Thady Gosden-trained pair of Sweet William and Gregory.

"We slipped on the top turn and I dropped away from the horse I wanted to take me into the race," Ryan Moore said. "It put him on the back foot a little bit down the hill and I wasn't able to control the race as well as I'd have liked, but he's just better than them, that's the whole story. He's a level above.

"He still got there with two furlongs to run, he was going very easily and was a little idle in front. It's a tremendous performance and he's been a great horse for a long time now. His record is incredible."

Kyprios was ruled out of the Goodwood Cup last year after a possible career-ending injury but recovered to compete at the Curragh in September and at Champions Day, where two seconds marked a stark change of fortune for the habitual winner.

Yet a season opener at Navan in April heralded a return to winning ways and he has re-established his unstoppable reputation since, landing the Levmoss Stakes in May before clinching a second success in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot.

Kyprios pulls clear of Gregory and Sweet WilliamCredit: Edward Whitaker

His incredible return is as much a credit to his determination as it is to the skill of his trainer Aidan O'Brien, who was quick to deflect praise to the staff tending to the six-time Group 1 winner each day.

"It's a team that makes it happen," O'Brien said. "They all work well together as he's an athlete with a lot of miles on him, so we're just very lucky to have the facilities and people to care for him.

"Kyprios is a very special horse. He has so much class, he's really going along in second gear. It wasn't easy for Ryan because he felt round the bends Kyprios was a bit different than he was here before and he slipped on the top bend.

"He sweated a lot too and he didn't stop, so we were a worried but it was probably because it was so warm. He was a little bit different than he usually was, so we're relieved it's over."

A sense of relief was underpinned by admiration for the winning horse, who claimed his highest Racing Post Rating since running away with the Cadran in October 2022.

"He's incredible," O'Brien said. "He went through very tough times and he's so genuine. He wears his heart on his sleeve every single day and he always keeps a little bit in his races.

"We thought if he was okay today we'd bring him back to an Irish St Leger again, and if he comes through that we'll have him for next year. We have to be very respectful to him, because if you saw where he came from it's hard to believe he's here today."

A second success in the Group 1 contest brought Kyprios level with the mighty Yeats, who was unbeaten in two appearances at the summer festival.

Goodwood's latest conqueror still trails Yeats by two Ascot Gold Cup victories, but the Ballydoyle stalwart achieved the last of those triumphs at the age of eight. There's plenty of time for Kyprios yet.

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