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| Staff Writer |
It was never about the Gold Cup really, more so that it was a dramatic day, perhaps because of the vanquished than the victors. Everyone started the day hoping the Queen would have a winner..and that did not happen. HRM also couldn’t make it today and it’s highly unlikely she will coming racing to Ascot this week. It's unlikely we will see her at the races again. This racing is going to lose its greatest friend. Charles and Camilla will only do the first two days in the future more than likely and the Cambridges don’t seem to be interested in keeping the tradition alive.
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Kyprios joined the list of greats to have won the Ascot Gold Cup as he held off Mojo Star and three-time champion Stradivarius to claim victory for Aidan O'Brien and Ryan Moore.
Having gone a slow pace, there were plenty in with chances turning into the straight as the mare Princess Zoe just about hit the front a furlong out. She was soon headed by Kyprios, but Mojo Star, second in the Derby and St Leger last year, and eventually Stradivarius having had to be switched for a run, threw down their challenge.
In a remarkably similar finish to last year's race, when John and Thady Gosden's star stayer lost his title to Subjectivisthaving been caught behind horses turning in, Frankie Dettori moved his mount wide to get a clear view of the line and stayed on strongly.
Frankie Dettori made the same mistake with Stradivarius as last year. He let his mount get too far back and then got stuck behind in traffic.
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Winning rider Moore told Sky Sports Racing: "He's a lovely horse and I was quite confident about him staying the extra distance. He's from a great family.
"He's done that despite it being a bit messy and we had to make our challenge out wide.
O'Brien added: "It's a difficult race to win and get a horse that can go that extra distance. We always thought this horse could be.
"Ryan gave him a marvellous ride and he's a horse we can really look forward to.
"We always thought he was courageous and Ryan had belief in him. When he really wanted him, the horse answered.
"Hopefully he could do it for some years to come."
| RACE REPLAY |
Winner Race 2022 |
Kyprios (Ire), j: Ryan Moore T: Aidan O'brien, mojo Star (Ire), j: Rossa Ryan T: Richard Hannon, Stradivarius (Ire), j: Frankie Dettori T: John & Thady Gosden, burning Victory (Fr),j: William Buick T: W. P. Mullins,tashkhan (Ire), j: Ben Robinson T: Brian Ellison, princess Zoe (Ger), j: J. M. Sheridan T: Anthony Mullins, bubble Smart,j: Gerald Mosse T: M. Delzangles, alignak, j: Saffie Osborne T: Jamie Osborne,earlofthecotswolds, j: Liam Keniry T: Nigel Twiston-davies