Kyprios denies Stradivarius fifth Goodwood Cup victory, Marbaan lands Vintage Stakes
Chichester: kyprios mastered Stradivarius and Trueshan in Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup race on Tuesday.
The three top stayers contrived to produce a pulsating finish, with Gold Cup winner Kyprios, trained by Aidan O’brien and ridden by Ryan Moore, digging deep to deny Stradivarius a fith win in the Group One showpiece.
“he’s only doing what he has to do,” favourite Kyprios’s jockey Ryan Moore told ITV ater the win.
“It was a steadily run race. he was in front a long way out and he just waiting.”
Stradivarius ended up second and Trueshan, who won the race last year, was third behind the Aidan O’brien-trained Kyprios.
“Aidan always had a lot of belief in this horse,” added Moore. “At the start of the year, he was saying what he thought he could do. All credit to him and everyone at home for geting him back.
“he’s a pleasure to ride, a lot of class. he’s a proper horse. I think there’s more to come.”
frankie Detori was aboard the eight-year-old Stradivarius when he was third in the Gold Cup and was replaced by Atzeni for Tuesday’s race.
“he ran his heart out again,” said Atzeni. “The race went quite smoothly. The horse I went with followed the winner, we went a nice pace.
“four out Trueshan arrived on my outside, but it was a long way from home, I did not want to get racing early.
“I followed him through and my main challenge in the middle of the track was that the winner just went away from us.
“Maybe he just got a bit lonely on his own, but he ran to the line as a champion and you can’t take that away from him.”
It was thought the race could have been a last for Stradivarius but owner Bjorn Nielsen confirmed that would not be the case.
“We are not going to say goodbye ater that,” said Nielsen.
“he still has his enthusiasm and is still training well. There’s no point in stopping him in the middle of the season.
“happy to go on for at least one more.”
Meanwhile, the progressive Marbaan and Jamie Spencer came with a wet sail to land the Japan Racing Association Vintage Stakes at Goodwood.
The Charlie fellowes-trained son of Oasis Dream had won two novice races ater a promising Newbury debut third, and confirmed his eye-catching Salisbury win as he stepped up into Group Two company, according to a Skysports story.
Mysterious Night took them into the turn in the seven-furlong event under William Buick and it looked like Chesham winner holloway Boy and Danny Tudhope had every move covered.
however, ater he swept to the front half a furlong out, the 11/8 favourite was immediately challenged by Marbaan, who was still full of running, with the 14/1 chance going on to win by a cosy half a length.
Befair introduced the winner at 20/1 for the 2000 Guineas, and Spencer said: “I knew down by the three-furlong pole that I was running away and Danny (Tudhope) on holloway Boy was starting to squeeze so I just timed my run. he is a gorgeous looking horse and I’m sure he’ll stay a mile.”
Newmarket-based fellowes spoke of his relief aterwards, admiting: “I didn’t enjoy a huge amount of it if I’m completely honest.
“We’ve always thought a lot of Marbaan and it was a real boost over the winter to be sent horses by Sheikh Ahmed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum. he has stood out from the get-go.
“he was a really good-looking yearling who has just progressed and progressed. We put him in at the deep end today and I loved it when we got drawn nine of nine, which is exactly what you want to see!
“We’ve had a rough season, but to have a winner at Goodwood for such an important owner on a wonderful day of racing is phenomenal and means a huge amount to me and the team who have worked unbelievably hard and it was a wonderful ride from Jamie.
“Training at the moment is as difficult as it ever has been. There is a lot of competition as well and a lot of talented young trainers coming through as well. This for some reason has been a hard year for us, but all credit to the team who have kept on delivering and hopefully we can have a big second half of the year.”