Marking your card: O'Brien and Moore are Royal Ascot's perfect cocktail
Thursday, 20 June 2024
Aidan O'Brien and Ryan Moore celebrate their Royal Ascot Gold Cup in 2022 with Kyprios, who is seeking to regain his title after missing defence through injury
I think Aidan might have something to say about it. He looks like he might have a stranglehold on the race with Kyprios. - Willie Mullins on Gold Cup hope Vauban
It's Ladies Day at Royal Ascot but it's Aidan, Ryan, 'the lads' and a brilliant colt that are being primed for the Gold Cup showpiece, writes James Toney.
There is a better cocktail at Royal Ascot though, one that only gives a headache to the bookies and rivals. Ryan Moore, with 81 wins and counting, and Aidan O'Brien, now on 87, are not the sort of characters to swagger at this storied see-and-be-seen race meeting.
However, they exude a quiet confidence, hardly surprising considering the equine firepower they combine to aim at these five days in June.
Two wins in two races got them off the mark on Wednesday, with the highlight being a memorable victory for the brilliant, if quirky, Auguste Rodin.
It means they arrive at Thursday's showpiece Gold Cup, where Kyprios seeks to regain the title he won in 2022, hitting top gear.
Two years ago, he spoiled the party and denied Stradivarius his fourth title, only to miss his defence 12 months ago through injury.
For a while, he was undoubtedly the world's top stayer, but there are nagging concerns about whether that remains the case two years on from his career high.
"Kyprios is a hardy horse, and everything has gone well with him. He’s training well and seems in good form," said O'Brien.
"He’s an unbelievable horse, and to have him back to this pitch, we’re delighted, really. I don’t think there are any worries about the ground, and I always thought he wanted nice ground. He’s a very good mover."
Willie Mullins's Vauban won at Royal Ascot last year but failed in his bid to claim the Melbourne Cup, trailing home a distant 14th at Flemington.
The 'Cup' remains a big focus for Mullins, and a win here would be a springboard for success in the race that stops the nation this November.
"For a predominantly jump stable like ours, it would be huge to win the biggest prize at Royal Ascot," said Mullins, who scored his tenth win at the meeting when Belloccio won Tuesday's Copper Horse Handicap.
"I think Aidan might have something to say about it. He looks like he might have a stranglehold on the race with Kyprios. Whoever you look at it, he's going to be very hard to beat. He's the one we will all be afraid of."
O'Brien gently rebuffed suggestions of a showdown with fellow Derby winner and stablemate City of Troy, with a return to Ascot for the King George next month and a defence of his Breeders' Cup Turf crown more likely.
However, other engagements are also possible, including the long-time O'Brien and Coolmore target, the Japan Cup in Tokyo.
It would be a popular engagement for his son of Deep Impact, who won that race in 2006 and remains one of Japan's most fabled racehorses.
Racing in Michael Tabor's blue and orange silks, the six-time Group One winner has occasionally misfired, but O'Brien and Moore now believe they've got his quirky measure.
"Auguste Rodin throws in the occasional wobbly, but he’s special," said Tabor. "He has to be one of the best I’ve owned in my colours."
O'Brien's Whistlejacket won their last encounter at the Curragh, but he then bounced back to win his next outing impressively. He will certainly relish the rattling ground as jockey David Egan looks for a third Royal Ascot winner.
Seven furlongs seem their optimum distance after two wins over the distance, including a classy reappearance at Cork after a 272-day break.
Can Kyprios or Vauban do it for the Irish at #RoyalAscot? 🇮🇪 @Franmberry previews today’s Gold Cup 🏆 #GreenTeam | @Ascot pic.twitter.com/uGTA8W1z4S
— Horse Racing Ireland (@HRIRacing) June 20, 2024
Kyprios back in bid to regain Gold Cup
The Ascot Blush is billed as the perfect combination of rhubarb gin, strawberries, and lemonade - and it sells here by the €50 a jug gallon.There is a better cocktail at Royal Ascot though, one that only gives a headache to the bookies and rivals. Ryan Moore, with 81 wins and counting, and Aidan O'Brien, now on 87, are not the sort of characters to swagger at this storied see-and-be-seen race meeting.
However, they exude a quiet confidence, hardly surprising considering the equine firepower they combine to aim at these five days in June.
Two wins in two races got them off the mark on Wednesday, with the highlight being a memorable victory for the brilliant, if quirky, Auguste Rodin.
It means they arrive at Thursday's showpiece Gold Cup, where Kyprios seeks to regain the title he won in 2022, hitting top gear.
Two years ago, he spoiled the party and denied Stradivarius his fourth title, only to miss his defence 12 months ago through injury.
For a while, he was undoubtedly the world's top stayer, but there are nagging concerns about whether that remains the case two years on from his career high.
"Kyprios is a hardy horse, and everything has gone well with him. He’s training well and seems in good form," said O'Brien.
"He’s an unbelievable horse, and to have him back to this pitch, we’re delighted, really. I don’t think there are any worries about the ground, and I always thought he wanted nice ground. He’s a very good mover."
Willie Mullins's Vauban won at Royal Ascot last year but failed in his bid to claim the Melbourne Cup, trailing home a distant 14th at Flemington.
The 'Cup' remains a big focus for Mullins, and a win here would be a springboard for success in the race that stops the nation this November.
"For a predominantly jump stable like ours, it would be huge to win the biggest prize at Royal Ascot," said Mullins, who scored his tenth win at the meeting when Belloccio won Tuesday's Copper Horse Handicap.
"I think Aidan might have something to say about it. He looks like he might have a stranglehold on the race with Kyprios. Whoever you look at it, he's going to be very hard to beat. He's the one we will all be afraid of."
What it means 😍
— Horse Racing Ireland (@HRIRacing) June 19, 2024
David Hickey is the @Ballydoyle groom with the Midas touch.
The brilliant Auguste Rodin wins the Prince of Wales Stakes #RoyalAscot #GreenTeam pic.twitter.com/7Dx3sYpjm1
Could Japan Cup be in the future for Auguste Rodin?
Racing is a sport not prone to look back and reflect; the bandwagon rolls relentlessly on. So, the talk of Royal Ascot was only briefly about Auguste Rodin's battling Prince of Wales Stakes victory before switching to 'what's next?'.O'Brien gently rebuffed suggestions of a showdown with fellow Derby winner and stablemate City of Troy, with a return to Ascot for the King George next month and a defence of his Breeders' Cup Turf crown more likely.
However, other engagements are also possible, including the long-time O'Brien and Coolmore target, the Japan Cup in Tokyo.
It would be a popular engagement for his son of Deep Impact, who won that race in 2006 and remains one of Japan's most fabled racehorses.
Racing in Michael Tabor's blue and orange silks, the six-time Group One winner has occasionally misfired, but O'Brien and Moore now believe they've got his quirky measure.
"Auguste Rodin throws in the occasional wobbly, but he’s special," said Tabor. "He has to be one of the best I’ve owned in my colours."
Blazing saddles: Murray looks for another winning moment
Adrian Murray scored his first Royal Ascot winner 12 months ago with a 150-1 long shot but is among the favourites for the Norfolk Stakes with Arizona Blaze.O'Brien's Whistlejacket won their last encounter at the Curragh, but he then bounced back to win his next outing impressively. He will certainly relish the rattling ground as jockey David Egan looks for a third Royal Ascot winner.
Kings Time will relish ground in race seven
Shane Foley nearly got Jessica Harrington on the board with a close third-place finish in Wednesday's Queen's Vase, and, maintaining the regal theme, has a solid chance to go better on Kings Time in the Buckingham Palace Stakes.Seven furlongs seem their optimum distance after two wins over the distance, including a classy reappearance at Cork after a 272-day break.