Kyprios Continues Dominance in Prix du Cadran

Kyprios (IRE) underlined his domination of the European staying scene with a second Prix du Cadran (G1) success Oct. 5, breaking a tie with Rock of Gibraltar, Yeats, Minding (IRE), Highland Reel (IRE), and Magical (IRE) to become Aidan O'Brien's first trainee on the flat to win eight times at group 1 level. A horse who at one stage looked like he might not live owing to an infection in a fetlock, let alone return to racing, Kyprios was adding to a perfect season with his sixth straight win, leaving Trueshan (FR)—himself a dual Cadran hero— two lengths back in second, with Coltrane (IRE) a neck further back. When his place at the numerical top of the Ballydoyle group 1 tally was pointed out to him, O'Brien said: "We've never had a horse do that before and it's so great after what he went through. The owners have been patient with him, I don't think everyone would have given him the time he needed." Kyprios was cut to 8-11 (from evens) by Betfair Sportsbook for the Long Distance Cup (G2) and O'Brien will aim that way in 14 days time, all things being equal. "The dream is that if everything is well with him he might go back to Ascot in two weeks and then have the winter off," said O'Brien. "Then he'll have his two preps for the Gold Cup next year. That's what we'll dream about." Such a plan won't add to Kyprios's group 1 haul, though it is clear having the son of Galileo happy and racing again is worth much more to O'Brien and his team than any place in the record books. "He's one of these horses that loves being in training," said O'Brien. "Some horses prefer to be on holiday but a lot of the good horses prefer to be in training. "He likes his routine in the morning and in the evening; he sleeps and eats and exercises. He goes through all his physio and loves every bit of it. When you see him walking from one bit he marches to the next stage. He's a very unusual horse like that." Debates about where he would have finished in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (G1) will remain unresolved as O'Brien has his sights set on continued mastery of the staying division, a situation that is just fine by Ryan Moore. "I think he's really got a lot of talent; he's just better than them," said a smiling Moore, who pushed back on the idea that this most willing partner would be just as effective over middle distances. Trueshan arguably ran right up to the form of his wins in this race in 2021 and 2023 on ground that had dried out more than Alan King would have wished for. "I'm delighted with him, he's run a cracking race," said rider James Doyle. "When Ryan pressed the button, Kyprios just caught him out a touch but I loved the way he hit the line. Coltrane came to try and get second but he rallied well."