ILLINOIS and JAN BRUEGHEL step into Gold Cup picture after KYPRIOS retirement

Information provided by Racing & Sports

27/05/2025

In a statement on social media platform X, Coolmore announced the retirement of dual Gold Cup-winner KYPRIOS: “KYPRIOS Retires. Due to an aggravation of an old ringbone lesion, we have decided to take no chances with KYPRIOS and although he is currently sound and doing well the decision has been made to retire him from racing."

It was disappointing, but not altogether surprising. A seventeen-time winner, KYPRIOS had made a successful seasonal reappearance in the Group 3 Saval Beg Stakes, the same race used as a stepping stone to a second Ascot Gold Cup victory. It was clear as the horse left the winners’ enclosure that something was not right.

“He came back in perfect and when he went to walk off (out of the winner’s enclosure) he was moving a little bit gingerly in front," O'Brien said.

"He was feeling something walking away. We’ll check him out and obviously he’s scanned and X-rayed before he runs because of his history. Hopefully it’s just a sprung shoe or something like that. We'll investigate and see what it is. It could be something and it could be nothing.”

Although Coolmore posted an upbeat bulletin the following day, with an accompanying video of a sound KYPRIOS walking away from camera, it appeared the seven-year-old had suffered a notable injury scare.

The son of GALILEO is a valuable asset to the Coolmore enterprise, providing a top-class staying stallion for both flat and National Hunt purposes – equivalent, and arguably superior, to The National Stud’s Stradivarius.

KYPRIOS’ retirement has left room for a new staying star at Ballydoyle and Aidan O’Brien remains triple-handed in the Ascot Gold Cup – CONTINUOUS, ILLINOIS and JAN BRUEGHEL.

Whilst Continuous’ participation is probably questionable after a disappointing start to the season, Illinois and JAN BRUEGHEL represent the new generation of stayers. The pair finished only a neck apart in last year’s 2900m Group 1 St Leger at Doncaster, when Illinois gave way to his stablemate after some credible performances in Group company in the UK, Ireland and France. The step up to longer distances appeared to suit Illinois, a son of Galileo, who ended the season with a win in the 3000m Group 3 Prix Chaudenay at Longchamp in October and returned with a comfortable success in the 2700m Group 3 Ormonde Stakes at Chester.

Regular jockey Ryan Moore summed up the colt’s achievements, in his typical, straightforward style: "He's a very good horse. He did nothing wrong last year, he was second in the Grand Prix de Paris, second in the Leger, won at Royal Ascot and won on Arc weekend. He's a very consistent horse and he's very powerful."

JAN BRUEGHEL enjoyed an unbeaten season as a three-year-old, culminating – on paper – with that hard fought victory in the St Leger. He travelled to Australia for a possible tilt at the Melbourne Cup and was withdrawn after failing Racing Victoria’s pre-race veterinary inspections. Another son of GALILEO, JAN BRUEGHEL posted a credible performance to finish second in the 2000m Group 3 Alleged Stakes at The Curragh on seasonal reappearance, a trip shorter than the lightly-raced colt would have appreciated. He remains unexposed and has the potential to continue an upward trajectory in 2025.

With two potentially top-class four-year-olds waiting in the wings, the news isn’t all bad for the Ballydoyle team. KYPRIOS retires from a highly successful career on the track, ready to commence a stud career, and they have two strong chances going into the Royal meeting’s feature race – looking to provide a record-breaking tenth victory in the race for trainer Aidan O’Brien.

Important Notice:
Information is provided by the third-party provider and it is intended to be used for reference only. The content and information have not been verified or confirmed by The Hong Kong Jockey Club and/or its affiliates (together, the “HKJC”), and will not be used for dividend payout purposes. HKJC also do not make any representation or warranty about the timeliness, reliability or accuracy of any such information. The data, articles and other information on these pages are provided on an “as is” basis for information purposes only. None of The Hong Kong Jockey Club, its affiliates or any other person involved in or related to the compilation of such information guarantees its accuracy or reliability and accepts no liability (whether in tort or contract or otherwise) for any loss or damage arising from any inaccuracies or omissions.

Gosden pair capable of career-best efforts in Ascot Gold Cup

Information provided by Racing & Sports

12/06/2025

In an open Group 1 Ascot Gold Cup, co-trainers John and Thady Gosden could have two lively contenders with the Godolphin-owned Trawlerman and Philippa Cooper’s seven-year-old gelding Sweet William.

The six-year-old Trawlerman has the benefit of age statistics on his side. A seven-year-old has not won the Ascot Gold Cup since Yeats’ record-breaking run of four back-to-back victories, but in recent years, three six-year-olds have been triumphant – Big Orange (2017), Stradivarius (2020) and Kyprios (2024).

Lightly raced for his age, Trawlerman has proven his capabilities at the Royal meeting, having stepped into the top echelons of the staying division after a victory in the Group 2 Long Distance Cup at Ascot in October 2023, one of only two horses to defeat Kyprios during his career. The son of Golden Horn has only raced six times since, but returned better than ever with a five-length success over Coltrane in the Group 3 Henry II Stakes at Sandown. Big Orange completed the Henry II/Gold Cup double in 2017 and it has been used as a stepping stone to Ascot by many capable stayers.

"He won the Henry II well and is training nicely," said co-trainer John Gosden.

"He's a different type of horse to Sweet William, Trawlerman likes to bowl along whereas the other comes with a strong late run and to that extent they suit each other rather well as they are not trying to do the same job.

"There's no Kyprios this year but it will still be a smart field, it will be a good race with Illinois in there."

Sweet William was successful in the 2024 renewal of the Henry II Stakes before a credible third behind Kyprios in the Ascot Gold Cup and chased home the same rival when second in both the Group 1 Goodwood Cup and the Group 2 Long Distance Cup.

The experienced gelding, who always presents a picture in the paddock, was bred by owner Philippa Cooper’s Normandie Stud and boasts impressive relations. A twice Group-winner, Sweet William’s achievements pale into insignificance compared to his Frankel half-brother Hurricane Lane, winner of the Group 1 Irish Derby and the Group 1 St Leger.

A one-length third behind globetrotter Rebel’s Romance in the Group 2 Yorkshire Cup on seasonal reappearance, over a trip shorter than ideal, proved that Sweet William still retains the ability to mix with the best stayers in the division.

"It was a great run at York as a mile and six would be on the sharp side for him,” added Gosden.

"He enjoys the climb at Ascot and he's solid at two and a quarter an as always two and a half takes him into no man's land, but we've been very pleased with his preparation.

"He's in great order and he's a wonderful character. He does everything in his home time and hopefully his work (last week) will have sharpened him up nicely.”

Important Notice:
Information is provided by the third-party provider and it is intended to be used for reference only. The content and information have not been verified or confirmed by The Hong Kong Jockey Club and/or its affiliates (together, the “HKJC”), and will not be used for dividend payout purposes. HKJC also do not make any representation or warranty about the timeliness, reliability or accuracy of any such information. The data, articles and other information on these pages are provided on an “as is” basis for information purposes only. None of The Hong Kong Jockey Club, its affiliates or any other person involved in or related to the compilation of such information guarantees its accuracy or reliability and accepts no liability (whether in tort or contract or otherwise) for any loss or damage arising from any inaccuracies or omissions.

Gollan's trip of a lifetime to Royal Ascot

Source: racenet, By Daniel Pace

16/06/2025

Brisbane's premier trainer Tony Gollan can't wait for the "pretty cool" experience of watching a colt that he will soon train in Queensland run around at the famous Royal Ascot carnival in England this week.

Gollan has bought into a Blue Point colt called Hey Tru Blue, who will run in the Group 2 Norfolk Stakes (1000m) on Thursday.

First Light Racing purchased the colt for 175,000 guineas ($A383,000) in last month's Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up sale in the UK and Gollan jumped at the opportunity to buy in.

"We'll go to the sale on Monday, the races on Tuesday and then we run on Thursday so it's going to be a really good week," Gollan told Racenet.

"I think there's 16 or 18 owners of the horse flying over so we'll spend a bit of time with the group involved.

"There's a bit of business to be done but no doubt we'll enjoy ourselves on the trip as well and that's what it's all about.

"When we purchased the horse and this was kind of the plan, I thought ‘gees this is wishful thinking here' but it's been fortuitous and now it's going to happen.

"I went to Royal Ascot seven years ago, just once for a look, and I must admit I was blown away by the spectacle of what it is over there.

"They only have seven races (each day) but the quality and just everything that goes with that carnival, it's pretty special.

"Just to be there and have a horse running, it's pretty cool."

Gollan flew to London from Brisbane on Saturday night without the Stradbroke Handicap crown he craves after Transatlantic finished ninth in the $3 million Group 1 over 1400m.

But he did score a consolation prize when four-year-old mare Floozie saluted in the Group 2 Dane Ripper Stakes (1300m) with Angela Jones on-board.

Now Gollan is looking forward to donning some elegant attire and experiencing the tradition and pageantry that Royal Ascot offers in the five-day summer carnival.

It is the same racetrack where Australia's unbeaten superstar Black Caviar narrowly defeated French-trained galloper Moonlight Cloud in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot in 2012.

"You're a trainer here in Brisbane and then all of a sudden you've got a horse racing at Royal Ascot next week," Gollan said.

"That's what's so great about our game, we're a global game and to be part of something like this is amazing.

"We only owned it (Hey Tru Blue) eight weeks and we'll be running in what is the greatest week of racing in Europe so it's pretty cool."

Hey Tru Blue, trained by George Boughey, late last month finished runner-up in his race debut to Rock On Thunder at Leicester, with William Buick riding.

"The trainer's very happy with the horse, who looks really well in the footage I've seen of him, albeit I'm not an expert in what's going on over there by any stretch of the imagination," Gollan said.

"I'll have a bit of a look at him while I'm there.

"I'll be at the races on Thursday. Hopefully he runs well and we'll see what he does for the rest of his preparation in England and then we'll bring him back to Australia later in the year."

Important Notice:
Information is provided by the third-party provider and it is intended to be used for reference only. The content and information have not been verified or confirmed by The Hong Kong Jockey Club and/or its affiliates (together, the “HKJC”), and will not be used for dividend payout purposes. HKJC also do not make any representation or warranty about the timeliness, reliability or accuracy of any such information. The data, articles and other information on these pages are provided on an “as is” basis for information purposes only. None of The Hong Kong Jockey Club, its affiliates or any other person involved in or related to the compilation of such information guarantees its accuracy or reliability and accepts no liability (whether in tort or contract or otherwise) for any loss or damage arising from any inaccuracies or omissions.