Kyprios produces convincing display in Goodwood Cup

admin admin | 07-31 00:16

Kyprios cemented his status as the best stayer in the land with a comprehensive victory in the Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup.

Aidan O'Brien's six-year-old was the dominant force in the division in 2022, winning the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot, the Goodwood Cup and the Irish St Leger before rounding off an unbeaten campaign with a jaw-dropping 20-length demolition job in the Prix du Cadran.

A career-threatening injury restricted him to just two outings last term and he was beaten on both occasions, but he had roared back to his best this season, winning each of his first three starts, including a successful defence of his Gold Cup crown last month.

With regular partner Ryan Moore in the plate, the son of Galileo was an 8-13 favourite to regain his Goodwood title and his supporters will have had few concerns for the duration of the two-mile contest.

After being briefly nudged along rounding the home turn, Kyprios soon came back on the bridle and was cantering all over his rivals halfway up the straight.

Gold Cup third Sweet William did his best to make a race of it, but he was not in the same league as the winner, who had four lengths in hand at the line and was value for more.

Sweet William's stablemate Gregory was just a head further behind in third, with popular veteran Trueshan - winner of the Goodwood Cup in 2021 - staying on for fourth

Lockinge hero Audience got back on the winning trail with a dominant display in the HKJC World Pool Lennox Stakes at Goodwood.

Audience made all the running in the Lennox Stakes

John and Thady Gosden's charge was a shock winner of the first Group One of the season at Newbury, where he made every yard of the running to upstage his fellow Cheveley Park-owned stablemate Inspiral.

Having since finished fifth in the Queen Anne at Royal Ascot, the five-year-old was eased in grade and distance for this seven-furlong Group Two and was visually impressive in the hands of Robert Havlin.

In a race in which only two horses were ever really in contention, 4-1 shot Audience sat in the slipstream of the pacesetting Art Power before being unleashed entering the final furlong and the race was soon over as a contest as Havlin's mount sprinted four lengths clear.

Art Power boxed on to fill the runner-up spot, with 7-2 favourite Kinross - bidding for his third victory in the race following previous triumphs in 2021 and 2023 - making late headway to finish third.

Of the winner, Havlin said: "After he won the Lockinge, I told everyone it was no fluke and they laughed.

"He's always had a lot of ability. We used to ride him without the hood on but I sat on him on Saturday and he absolutely flew so we thought this was the right time to try him without it.

"He wasn't very competitive in the Lennox round here last year (finished sixth) but, with the hood off, it really sharpened him up. He's so controllable now, as well.

"I didn't think we were going overly quick up the hill but I let him go at the three (furlong marker) and by God, he was fast."

Audience now looks set to stick at the seven-furlong distance for the City of York Stakes on the Knavesmire next month. Bookmakers cut his odds for that lucrative prize to 7-2 from 12-1.

"Plainly he didn't quite stay the stiff mile at Ascot," said Cheveley Park's managing director Chris Richardson.

"We've stuck with Rab (Havlin) the whole way through and the horse continues to thrive and they have a great relationship.

"I was thrilled that Pat Thompson was there at Newbury when he won and I'm sorry that they are not here today, but defying a penalty has certainly given everyone plenty to think about.

"We'll probably go to York for the City Of York Stakes, where he doesn't carry a penalty, then it's all to play for. We'll look at all those races over his favoured seven furlongs."

A step up to seven furlongs proved right up Aomori's City's street as the promising colt powered home to land the HKJC World Pool Vintage Stakes.

The Parthenon was a non-runner, making life easier for Aomori City (centre)

A comfortable winner on his Nottingham debut in mid-June, the Oasis Dream colt was last seen finishing third behind Aidan O'Brien's Whistlejacket over six furlongs in the Group Two July Stakes at Newmarket.

In the absence of Whistlejacket's stablemate The Parthenon, Aomori City was a 2-1 favourite to get back on the winning trail on the Sussex Downs and ultimately did so in some style under William Buick.

After sitting on the tail of the pacesetting Cool Hoof Luke for much of the way, Charlie Appleby's youngster quickened up smartly when the gap came to grab the lead inside the final furlong and he passed the post with a length and three-quarters in hand over the staying-on Wolf Of Badenoch.

"He's quite a hardy horse and he had to be there because we had to fight for our position around the turn and this fella was brave," said Buick.

"Once we got into the slipstream of Oisin (Murphy, on Cool Hoof Luke), it was just a matter of getting out and this fella picked up instantly and won going away.

"He will stay a mile, whenever he needs to. For now seven furlongs is a good trip for him.

"He's come through the ranks this horse and Charlie was adamant that seven furlongs would suit him."

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