Kyprios on course to dominate staying division once again

Kyprios will follow his tried and trusted route on the way to Royal Ascot, where he will bid to win the Gold Cup for a third time in June.

Now a seven-year-old, he reportedly retains all his old enthusiasm but will do well to better last season, when he proved to be in a league of his own in the staying division.

He began his season in April, winning the Vintage Crop before moving on to the Saval Beg at Leopardstown.

Having fended off Trawlerman to win the Gold Cup for a second time, he went on to prove unbeatable, adding the Goodwood Cup, Irish St Leger, Prix du Cadran and the Long Distance Cup on Champions Day.

“He’s back, he’s in great shape. The plan is Ascot, with two runs before it at Navan (Vintage Crop) and Leopardstown (Saval Beg) and then everything else will fall into place after that,” said his trainer Aidan O’Brien.

“Everything is very good with him at the moment, he’s very comfortable in that department, he’s a great horse.

“He’s incredible because he goes forward but he’s only ever in second gear. Even when we took him to Newmarket as a two-year-old for the Zetland, he went to sleep and he didn’t wake up at all!

“His personality is very similar still, but Ryan (Moore) rides him great.”

Should anything untoward happen to Kyprios, O’Brien appears to have the perfect replacement in St Leger winner Jan Brueghel, for whom plans appear fluid.

O’Brien said: “Where’s he going to fit in? He’s doing very well and is working very well but he’s going to have to stand in line with Kyprios, I’d imagine, but none of them are going to want to take him on.

“I thought he could go to Ascot and have a run before then. Either the Gold Cup or the Hardwicke.

“I’d imagine if Kyprios is there, there’s probably no point in anything running against him.

“He’s obviously one for a mile and a half plus, even though he won a Group race over 10 furlongs.”