By James Toney
Aidan O’Brien insists all roads lead back to Ascot after Ballydoyle stable favourite Kyprios scored his second big race win in a fortnight.
O’Brien’s brilliant stayer won the Prix du Cadran at Longchamp – an eighth Group One success – two weeks ago and brought the curtain down on a unbeaten season with a brilliant victory in the QIPCO British Champions Long Distance Cup.
Last year Trawlerman lowered his colours on Champions Day but there was no doubting this result – his seventh win of the season – when he hit the front.
“The plan was to come here, give him the winter off, then give him two trials before the Gold Cup next year. So that’s what we are working for – we will get through the winter and the spring, and try to come back here for another Gold Cup at Royal Ascot,” said O’Brien.
“He is a very special horse. Ryan was in total control on him after the first furlong, and it was a joy to watch it. He is relentless and has an unbelievable amount of quality, so it doesn’t matter if you go slow or if you go fast, he just goes there and he switches off. Ryan rides him incredibly and knows him inside out.
“All credit goes to the team – everyone at home who has done all the work with him and have a very close connection to him. It is incredible to have him back [Kyprios had a serious infection in a joint capsule after the 2022 season]. We thought the best that would happen would be that we could save him to go to stud.
“He is very relaxed, loves racing, and he loves this distance and finds it very comfortable. Credit to the lads for leaving him at this distance – he enjoys it. You wouldn’t have known he had had a race the last day and he didn’t lose any weight. He is so laidback, his blood doesn’t get up until after the race – you can see him now, having a buck – but it takes a race to get his blood up.”
Kyprios ended a five-year wait for a win on British Champions Day for O’Brien, who also picked up his seventh British Champions Trainer title – and his first since 2017.
Jumps legend Willie Mullins was there to watch too, both British Champion Trainer titles now in the possession of Irish handlers for the first time in history.
“There are so many special people in so many different areas that if I started talking about them, I would be here until tomorrow,” added O’Brien, who has scooped over €9.5m from 31 winners this side of the Irish Sea since January.
“You can have the horses and the place but, if you don’t have the people, it won’t happen. The owners are the people who put the resources in every year, to try and help us make it better. They put a lot of time in and give us advice. We do our best, give information back, and try to follow the roadmap that they draw for us. Some years it goes very well, some years it is ordinary, and some years it is medium.
“This was a good year for us. We won plenty of good races. I am just delighted for everybody when we do have a good year. We don’t take anything for granted and try to look to the future.”
Killarney’s Oisin Murphy won his fourth British Champion Jockey title – but insists they’ll no no resting on his laurels.
“There are many races that I have not won,” he said. “The two standouts for me are the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe and the Derby. The Arc has so much international appeal and recognition nowadays, while the Derby has so much history.
“This is something I really tried to achieve this year. I have had great support from so many trainers and owners, and having a fair lead has meant I have been able to enjoy it over the last month or so.”
