Tag Archive for: Gold Cup

Trawlerman comes of age with Gold Cup haul

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It is not a common occurrence for a horse to start winning Gold Cups at seven – Yeats had two triumphs on his CV by the time he added a third in his seven-year-old season, Drums Taps was defending his title when he won in 1993, so too was Invershin in 1929.

Perhaps Trawlerman was prevented from an earlier success by the other things he clearly had on his mind as a young horse, namely a one-sided feud with the starting stalls that scuppered his chances more than once.

When that score was settled is unknown, but it is clear that with time, patience and expert handling he has developed into the kind of standing-dish stayer associated with Ascot’s oldest race.

The term ‘dour stayer’ usually enters the racing vocabulary in the wettest part of winter when the ground is hock-deep, but it was on rapid going and under a sweltering sun that Trawlerman managed to call the phrase to mind several months out of season.

The 85-40 favourite under William Buick, John and Thady Gosden’s gelding nipped into an early lead and lolloped along at the head of affairs to gain an advantage that only seemed to widen as the race progressed.

When he swung for home and passed the clanging bell there was evidently no blow that could reach him, and it was with consummate ease that he sauntered home seven lengths ahead to break the track record over the trip and take his place at the head of the staying standings.

“We came here today and William was very clear what he was going to do, he was going to set a good, even pace and gradually press them from Swinley Bottom all the way through,” said John Gosden.

“The pretenders – the Aga Khan horse (Candelari) and the Coolmore and Ballydoyle horse (Illinois) – they’d have to stay two and a half miles properly. And they didn’t stay, we took them for stamina.

“It was the plan, beyond the plan, absolutely the plan – and he carried it off to perfection. We spend months planning this, we don’t just think ‘oh, shall we run at Ascot next week?’.

“It’s months in the making and they come here in top order. He’s one of the most relentless, proper gallopers. Going wire to wire in this takes a bit of doing, as does breaking the track record,

“It gives me enormous pleasure, I love the Cup races and I always have done. I’m inclined to run one more race and then put him away and come back next year.

“That’s more important than anything, we’ve won it once now, let’s see if he can win it again.”

Of Trawlerman’s earlier waywardness and his more mannerly approach as an older horse, Gosden added: “He used to be a hooligan, an absolute hooligan!

“Now even I’d ride him, though I don’t suppose he’d particularly appreciate that.

“He’s a fabulous horse to be around, he’s like his father – incredibly brave. Golden Horn would run through a wall for you and this horse is the same.”

Trawlerman has always been a very good horse, but he has not always been a very good boy – now he is both.

O’Brien expecting Illinois progress after Gold Cup defeat

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Aidan O’Brien feels there is room for improvement in the staying division with Illinois, after his planned super-sub had to make do with the silver medal in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot.

Less than a month ago the Ballydoyle handler expected to be saddling dual Gold Cup hero Kyprios in his bid for a 10th victory in the two-and-a-half-mile feature, but the recurrence of an old injury and his star stayer’s subsequent retirement left O’Brien with no option but to shuffle his pack.

Illinois looked bound for the Coronation Cup at Epsom following his winning reappearance in Chester’s Ormonde Stakes, but Jan Brueghel successfully stepped in to fill that void, meaning Illinois was asked to run over a full mile further in Berkshire and he found Kyprios’ old rival Trawlerman too strong.

O’Brien said: “We thought Illinois would be a Gold Cup horse next year and obviously the plan was Kyprios would come here this year and Illinois would step up next year.

“The plan was for him to go to the Coronation and I was training him as a good mile-and-a-half horse, and then when Kyprios retired we switched him to this race.

“We have to be happy with the run and he had a lovely preparation the last day. Maybe if we knew he was coming here straight away, we might of had him going earlier and maybe lighter.”

While Illinois was seemingly put in his place by Trawlerman, O’Brien would not shirk a potential rematch in the Goodwood Cup, adding: “He might go to Goodwood and meet this horse again and I would imagine he will progress again then.

“He got tired at the two-furlong pole today, like a lot of horses do, and we will see if we can improve him another little bit for this distance.

“It shows how good Kyprios was as Trawlerman had been second to him a couple of times, I think.”

Illinois was beaten seven lengths by Trawlerman and was a further seven lengths clear of Saeed bin Suroor’s Dubai Future in third.

“He did well and he stayed. I put a hood and cheekpieces on him which made him nice and relaxed in the race,” said bin Suroor.

“James (McDonald) gave him a good ride and he’s tough – he’s a horse who at nine years old is still young at heart. He’s doing really well and we are very happy with him.

“I think we will go to Goodwood next. The winner is a good horse, but I am pleased with my horse’s run.”

The disappointment of the race was perhaps French raider Candelari, who had won four of his five previous starts for Francis Henri-Graffard but was a well-beaten sixth on this occasion.

Graffard said: “He was travelling nicely when the pace was fine but when the winner started to quicken and upped the pace, my horse was quite surprised.

“To come here in this type of race, they need the experience. In France they don’t learn an awful lot as they crawl in races then sprint. This horse has a great turn of foot but he can’t use his turn of foot in a race like that over that distance.

“He gained a lot of experience there and he is only four and still improving, but it is still disappointing. I need to learn and think how I can get him better to be competitive.

“I think he is still an exciting stayer, as you saw from his win in France, but today was a different game over a very long distance.

“I have a lot of faith in him and six months ago he hadn’t seen a racecourse, so he has come a long way in a short space of time.”

Trawlerman nets biggest staying prize of them all

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Trawlerman made every yard of the running in the Gold Cup to go one better than last year for John and Thady Gosden in the Royal Ascot highlight.

Second to Kyprios 12 months ago, the Godolphin-owned seven-year-old took full advantage of the dual winner’s retirement under an excellently-judged ride from William Buick.

Illinois, who had stepped into Kyprios’ shoes for Aidan O’Brien, was well placed if good enough, but inside the final furlong Trawlerman (85-40 favourite) began to pull away and ran out an impressive seven-length winner. Dubai Future was third for Saeed bin Suroor in the Godolphin colours.

Buick said: “It’s an extreme distance, two and a half miles, so you need an extraordinary horse with an extraordinary set of skills.

“He’s got that lung capacity and stamina. He got in a great rhythm – it’s a tough thing to do, be in front for two and a half miles like that, but he’s so genuine.

“I knew he would stay, which is a big help. It’s taken me a long time to win this – I knew he was the right horse, I just hoped I would get it right on him.”

Winning connections with Trawlerman
Winning connections with Trawlerman (PA)

John Gosden spoke of his relief after what felt like a long final furlong for the Clarehaven handler.

He said: “I didn’t enjoy it (final furlong) because anything can happen, you never know until they cross the line. He’s part of the furniture you know. It’s absolutely amazing. He’s the most grand, lovely horse he really is. The other horse, Sweet William (fourth), they’re great old friends.”

Trawlerman set a new course record and Gosden praised Buick’s ride, repeating the tactics he employed to such good effect when also winning at Sandown last time out.

“We ran him in the Henry II at Sandown and William got it spot on,” said Gosden.

“He went what they call in America ‘wire to wire’, that was two miles around Sandown.

“He’s an out-and-out galloper and he rode him beautifully, judged it perfectly – not an easy thing to do over two and a half miles.

“The only way we were going to win was to just say, ‘if you’re going to beat me, you’re going to know you’ve been in a race, as you’re going to have to go two and a half miles at a proper gallop’.”

William Buick aboard Trawlerman salutes the Ascot crowd
William Buick aboard Trawlerman salutes the Ascot crowd (John Walton/PA)

Gosden already has a title defence on his mind and given Trawlerman will be eight next year, he is eager to measure the gelding’s efforts ahead of that long-range target.

He added: “I think he should be aimed at coming back next year, and he shouldn’t be over-raced at all in between time. Don’t be surprised if you don’t see him again until the Henry II next year. That could be a reality.

“I’ll discuss it with Sheikh Mohammed, but he doesn’t need to be going to all these races. He might come back here in the autumn (for the Long Distance Cup on Champions Day), he’s won that, we might go for that, and then put him away.”

O’Brien looks to Illinois in search for perfect 10 in Gold Cup

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Illinois will go into unknown territory when he plays the role of super-sub for Aidan O’Brien in his search for a 10th victory in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot.

The master of Ballydoyle handler has an unrivalled record in the two-and-a-half-mile feature, with the brilliant four-time winner Yeats, Fame And Glory, Leading Light, Order Of St George and dual scorer Kyprios all featuring on the roll of honour.

Kyprios looked well placed to make it a hat-trick after winning Ireland’s two key trials in the spring, but his subsequent retirement led to a shuffling of the pack and it was last month’s Ormonde Stakes winner Illinois who got the call-up.

O’Brien said: “Everything has gone well so far and we always thought he was a horse who could step into the role of a Gold Cup horse.

“We thought he could do that next year and he was standing in line behind Kyprios, but he’s had his run and it went well.

“We have always thought he would stay the trip, but it’s not until you go past the quarter (mile) pole in the Gold Cup that you find out.”

Trawlerman and Sweet William finished second and third respectively behind Kyprios 12 months ago and the John and Thady Gosden-trained duo are back for another tilt at Gold Cup glory.

Trawlerman in action at Sandown
Trawlerman in action at Sandown (Adam Davy/PA)

Reflecting on Sweet William’s comeback third in last month’s Yorkshire Cup, Gosden senior said: “It was a great run at York as a mile and six (furlongs) would be on the sharp side for him.

“He enjoys the climb at Ascot and he’s solid at two and a quarter miles and 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 own time and hopefully his work (last week) will have sharpened him up nicely.”

Of Trawlerman, he added: “He won the Henry II well and is training nicely. He’s a different type of horse to Sweet William as 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 and it will be a good race with Illinois in there.”

French hopes are carried by Francis-Henri Graffard’s Candelari, who has come a long way since making a winning debut on the all-weather at Chantilly in early December, most recently impressing with a Group One triumph in the Prix Vicomtesse Vigier at ParisLongchamp.

Nemone Routh, racing manager for the late Aga Khan’s French Studs, said: “We’re very happy with the horse, he worked well last week and it looks like he’s taken his last run very well.

“The question marks are over whether he will stay the distance, we believe he will be because he finishes his races strongly but obviously that is an unknown, and he probably lacks the experience of the rest of the field.

“He only made his debut in December, so he’s only really been racing for six months, but then he’s not got as many miles on the clock as some of the others and I think he’s a natural stayer and a very genuine horse.”

It would be quite a story if Candelari were to win what is arguably the biggest race of the entire week at Royal Ascot given he was very nearly moved on seven months ago.

“He is a horse who has taken us massively by surprise,” Routh added.

“We nearly sold him unraced in November but took him out during the week of the sale because he is so well-bred and he hadn’t had any major setbacks. He’s just a big horse who was quite immature and after we castrated him it took us a while to get him fit again.

“He’s obviously not a flashy worker as he’s a staying horse, but we just felt we’d give him a chance and then Francis found that first race for him on the Fibresand at Chantilly when he was incredibly green, he reared up in the stalls and lost 10 lengths at the start. If you watch the race it’s hilarious and he still won by eight lengths!

“He really did show us something that day and he’s never looked back. It shows that sometimes these horses just need time. They’re not fast, they’re not two-year-olds and he wasn’t really even a three-year-old, but if you give them time they can repay you and he has repaid us in spades.

“It’s been an amazing story already, we think he’s an improving horse and the good thing is he will have his ground as he needs good, fast ground to be at his best.

Illinois leads eight chasing Gold Cup glory

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Ante-post favourite Illinois headlines eight declarations for Thursday’s Gold Cup at Royal Ascot.

His trainer Aidan O’Brien has won the two-and-a-half-mile highlight a record nine times, with four-time winner Yeats and dual hero Kyprios among those to fly the Ballydoyle flag.

Kyprios was expected to bid for a hat-trick this year before suffering a career-ending injury last month, leaving St Leger runner-up Illinois to step into the staying breach.

Godolphin will be double-handed with the John and Thady Gosden-trained Trawlerman, who is ridden by William Buick, and Saeed bin Suroor’s Dubai Future who will be partnered by James McDonald.

The latter finished last behind Candelari in a ParisLongchamp Group One last time out and that Francis-Henri Graffard-trained rival is among the leading candidates here as he bids to become the first French-trained winner of the race since Westerner 20 years ago.

Sagaro Stakes first and second, Yashin and Coltrane renew rivalries, while Sweet William is a second Gosden-trained contender and completes the line up along with Wonder Legend.

Trueshan and Jan Brueghel were the only two horses not declared.

Musidora Stakes second Serenity Prayer heads 11 contenders for the Ribblesdale Stakes, having seen the York form boosted when winner Whirl ran a close second in the Oaks at Epsom.

Paddy Twomey fields Catalina Delcarpio, Garden Of Eden is one of three for O’Brien, with the Gosden team also triple-handed with Life Is Beautiful, Go Go Boots and Understudy.

O’Brien’s Charles Darwin leads 16 chasing Norfolk Stakes glory and French Derby third Detain drops down in class as one of 14 runners in the Hampton Court Stakes.

The King George V Stakes, the Britannia and the closing Buckingham Palace Stakes have all drawn full fields of 19, 30 and 29 respectively.

Illinois and Candelari on course for Gold Cup showdown

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Aidan O’Brien’s Illinois and Francis-Henri Graffard’s Candelari have the chance to fill the void left by Kyprios after standing their ground for the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot.

There is a vacancy at the top of the staying tree after the recent retirement of O’Brien’s dual Gold Cup hero, but hopes are high Illinois could prove a ready-made replacement judged on his impressive Ormonde Stakes success at Chester.

O’Brien has also confirmed Coronation Cup hero Jan Brueghel, but Illinois is poised for a mouthwatering showdown with Graffard’s French raider, who announced himself at the top-level with a sublime performance at ParisLongchamp in the Prix Vicomtesse Vigier.

John and Thady Gosden’s Trawlerman and Sweet William have been regular bridesmaids to Kyprios and now have the chance of their moment in the spotlight, with the former winning well in his Sandown reappearance.

Andrew Balding’s Coltrane is another regular in this event, but he will have to reverse Sagaro Stakes form with Michael Bell’s Yashin to make his presence felt, with Bell looking to recreate the Gold Cup exploits of Big Orange from 2017.

Saeed bin Suroor has confirmed Dubai Gold Cup scorer Dubai Future, with James Ferguson’s Wonder Legend given the chance to transfer his smart all-weather form on turf.

The 10-strong list is rounded off by Alan King’s stalwart Trueshan, although the warm weather has the potential to once again scupper any hope of him appearing in this race.

Kyprios ‘sound’ following Leopardstown injury worry

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Aidan O’Brien has issued a positive bulletin on star stayer Kyprios following his Saval Beg Stakes victory at Leopardstown on Friday evening.

The seven-year-old claimed a third success in the Group Three contest, with the dual Gold Cup winner seemingly well on course for another trip to Royal Ascot.

However, O’Brien expressed some concern about the horse’s movement leaving the winner’s enclosure, saying Kyprios was “moving a little bit gingerly in front”.

The son of Galileo has subsequently been checked over and was reported to be sound on Saturday morning.

O’Brien, quoted on the X account of the horse’s owners Coolmore, said: “Kyprios is very good this morning and is sound.

“We think he knocked his pastern after turning sharply in the winners enclosure.

“X-rays and scans were all clean and we are very happy with him.”

Kyprios has followed a familiar route to Ascot in winning last month’s Vintage Crop Stakes before taking the Saval Beg – the same path he took before his Gold Cup victories in 2022 and 2024, when he also enjoyed unbeaten seasons.

Kyprios claimed a second Gold Cup win last year
Kyprios claimed a second Gold Cup win last year (David Davies/PA)

O’Brien’s charge is a general 11-10 favourite to win a third Gold Cup, which would put him level with Sagaro and Stradivarius and one win behind Yeats, who claimed four victories for O’Brien between 2006 and 2009.

Speaking from Navan on Saturday afternoon, Ballydoyle representative Chris Armstrong added: “The vets and everyone checked him over last night, and he came through all the tests well.

“The lads were happy with him overnight. He had a walk out this morning and his action was very good.

“We’ll see how he is over the next couple of days and we’ll ease him back into riding out. It is great where we are at the moment.”

Burdett Road on course for Ascot Gold Cup

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The Gold Cup at Royal Ascot and a trip to Australia for the Melbourne Cup are both on the agenda for Champion Hurdle runner-up Burdett Road, as James Owen plots an ambitious campaign back on the level for his high-class performer.

Freshened up from his excellent stint over hurdles during the winter, the five-year-old could head to Sandown on May 29 to set up his tilt for a second victory at the Royal meeting, having won the Golden Gates Stakes back in 2023.

“Burdett Road is great and it’s all systems go for the Ascot Gold Cup with him,” said Owen.

“He’s going to run at Sandown in the Henry II Stakes later this month and that will hopefully set him up for Royal Ascot.”

As well as a run at the summer showcase in Britain, Owen is also lining up a trip to the southern hemisphere for the highlight of the Australian spring at Flemington in early November.

“The main aim is the Melbourne Cup but he’s going to have some nice targets throughout the summer along the way,” continued Owen.

“He’s had a nice break since his run at the Cheltenham Festival and he’s back in full work now and gearing up for hopefully a fun summer.”

Yashin looks like a keeper following Sagaro success

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Michael Bell is eyeing a tilt at Gold Cup glory with Yashin after his new recruit denied veteran stayer Coltrane a record third victory in the Longines Sagaro Stakes at Ascot.

Successful in the last two renewals of the Group Three event, the Andrew Balding-trained Coltrane was a 4-6 favourite to complete the hat-trick and appeared perfectly positioned for much of the two-mile contest as he sat in the slipstream of Divine Comedy, who set a sedate pace in front.

Coltrane was nudged into the lead passing the two-furlong marker, but was soon challenged by 11-1 shot Yashin, who was a high-class operator for Jessica Harrington before changing hands for 80,000 guineas in October and looks a shrewd purchase judged on this one-length success under Callum Shepherd.

Bell said: “He’d been working well and galloped at Chelmsford the other day and we were very happy with him. He went to Ascot in very good form, so we were hopeful of a very good run.

“He’s been in very good form since we’ve had him, so we were hopeful he would be involved definitely.”

Paddy Power cut Yashin to 8-1 from 33-1 for the Chester Cup on Friday week (May 9), but Bell – who won the 2017 Gold Cup with Big Orange – is leaning towards keeping his powder dry for Royal Ascot.

“I’ll talk to the owners. Chester would obviously be tempting with the penalty, as clearly he’s going to go up significantly more than 3lb, but my gut feeling is we’ll wait and maybe look at taking on Kyprios at the big meeting,” the Fitzroy House handler added.

“We didn’t enter him for the Gold Cup, but we discussed it beforehand and the winner of the Sagaro gets a free nomination. We said if we didn’t win the Sagaro, we didn’t want to run in the Gold Cup anyway and if he did win, we’d get the free nomination, so we put some thought into it and he could well go there.

“We’ve won the Gold Cup before and we’d like to win it again.”

Henderson open-minded on Constitution Hill Royal Ascot run

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Nicky Henderson has left the door open for a tantalising Gold Cup tilt with Constitution Hill after the hurdling star was entered for the Royal Ascot showpiece.

The 2023 Champion Hurdle hero is set to strut his stuff at Punchestown on Friday in a bid to get back to winning ways following falls at both Cheltenham and Aintree so far this spring, but the Seven Barrows handler is keen to give him the option of trying his hand on the Flat during the summer.

“It’s something we’ve discussed over the last couple of years to be fair,” Henderson told the PA news agency.

“Due to the fact he’s had two tumbles, you could say Flat racing is a good idea, but that’s not really the point and it’s something we’ve mulled over and discussed for a good year or so.

Constitution Hill has met his challenges over hurdles this term
Constitution Hill has met his challenges over hurdles this term (Bradley Collyer/PA)

“I know we schooled him over fences, as you saw in the film I put out on Sunday, but he won’t be going chasing and the Flat is another option.

“We have every intention of running at Punchestown on Friday and the plan is to travel on Wednesday, but after that we will take a view.”

The Constitution Hill team once considered heading over fences, but running in the Flat version of the Gold Cup rather than the three-and-a-quarter-mile Cheltenham edition appears more likely after he was one of 25 entries for one of the highlights of the Royal meeting.

Potential rivals include Aidan O’Brien’s Kyprios, who will hope to notch a third win in the Group One event, last year’s St Leger winner Jan Brueghel and James Owen’s dual-purpose performer Burdett Road, a regular challenger to Constitution Hill over hurdles.

However, there is plenty still to be considered before the 10-times hurdles winner is given the go-ahead to deviate from timber for the first time in his illustrious career.

Nicky Henderson with his pride and joy Constitution Hill
Nicky Henderson with his pride and joy Constitution Hill (Adam Davy/PA)

Henderson continued: “I’m certainly not ruling it in, but I’m certainly not ruling it out, otherwise I wouldn’t have put him in the race.

“There are two drawbacks to Ascot and one is the ground. Then you have to consider the timing, it’s June but then that is not too far away and it’s not like you have to keep him going forever.

“I’m not going to rule it out, but you also have to consider he’s never been in a starting stall and then he’s probably more of a two-miler than a two-and-a-half-miler over hurdles, in which case does he even stay two and a half on the Flat.

“The ground would be the most obvious reason not to do it, but every now and then you do get a slow-ground Royal Ascot. We’ll just see what happens this week (at Punchestown) and the next couple of weeks as well.”

Kyprios on course to dominate staying division once again

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Kyprios will follow his tried and trusted route on the way to Royal Ascot, where he will bid to win the Gold Cup for a third time in June.

Now a seven-year-old, he reportedly retains all his old enthusiasm but will do well to better last season, when he proved to be in a league of his own in the staying division.

He began his season in April, winning the Vintage Crop before moving on to the Saval Beg at Leopardstown.

Having fended off Trawlerman to win the Gold Cup for a second time, he went on to prove unbeatable, adding the Goodwood Cup, Irish St Leger, Prix du Cadran and the Long Distance Cup on Champions Day.

“He’s back, he’s in great shape. The plan is Ascot, with two runs before it at Navan (Vintage Crop) and Leopardstown (Saval Beg) and then everything else will fall into place after that,” said his trainer Aidan O’Brien.

“Everything is very good with him at the moment, he’s very comfortable in that department, he’s a great horse.

“He’s incredible because he goes forward but he’s only ever in second gear. Even when we took him to Newmarket as a two-year-old for the Zetland, he went to sleep and he didn’t wake up at all!

“His personality is very similar still, but Ryan (Moore) rides him great.”

Should anything untoward happen to Kyprios, O’Brien appears to have the perfect replacement in St Leger winner Jan Brueghel, for whom plans appear fluid.

O’Brien said: “Where’s he going to fit in? He’s doing very well and is working very well but he’s going to have to stand in line with Kyprios, I’d imagine, but none of them are going to want to take him on.

“I thought he could go to Ascot and have a run before then. Either the Gold Cup or the Hardwicke.

“I’d imagine if Kyprios is there, there’s probably no point in anything running against him.

“He’s obviously one for a mile and a half plus, even though he won a Group race over 10 furlongs.”

Crowds turn out to hail Gold Cup victor Inothewayurthinkin

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Inothewayurthinkin was given a hero’s welcome on Tuesday afternoon as the Cheltenham Gold Cup hero enjoyed a homecoming parade in a sun-drenched County Meath.

The JP McManus-owned gelding proved too strong for dual winner Galopin Des Champs in the feature event on the fourth and final day of last week’s Cheltenham Festival, rocketing six lengths clear on the run-in under a jubilant Mark Walsh.

After initially posing for photos at trainer Gavin Cromwell’s yard alongside his Glenfarclas Chase-winning stablemate Stumptown, the pair made their way to the Skryne Gaelic Football Club where fans of all ages were able to cast their eyes over Inothewayurthinkin.

He completed multiple laps of the pitch alongside his groom Caoimhe O’Brien, with Meath GAA legends Colm O’Rourke and Trevor Giles among those in attendance along with Cromwell’s family, who were there to savour the moment.

Inothewayurthinkin with groom Caoimhe O’Brien during the homecoming parade at Skryne Gaelic Football Club
Inothewayurthinkin with groom Caoimhe O’Brien during the homecoming parade at Skryne Gaelic Football Club (Damien Eagers/PA)

Although his charge was well beaten by Galopin Des Champs in successive races at Leopardstown prior to his trip to the Cotswolds, Cromwell never stopped believing he could have a genuine Gold Cup contender on his hands, which ultimately led to connections supplementing him for the race the previous weekend.

“For quite a while I felt he was a horse who could make up into a Gold Cup horse. It all depended on what way the year developed and thankfully it went the right way,” he said.

“After the Dublin Racing Festival (fourth in the Irish Gold Cup), he was only beaten just over seven lengths and hit the line really well. I thought coming out of there we should be considering supplementing for the Gold Cup.

“It wasn’t an immediate decision, it all depended on what happened over the following few weeks, but his work progressed and the closer we got to it, the happier we were. JP and Frank Berry (racing manager) didn’t take much convincing to supplement him and thankfully it came off.”

Gavin Cromwell during Inothewayurthinkin's homecoming parade
Gavin Cromwell during Inothewayurthinkin’s homecoming parade (Damien Eagers/PA)

Cromwell is no stranger to big-race success, with a Champion Hurdle victory courtesy of Espoir D’Allen and two Royal Ascot triumphs with Chesham Stakes heroine Snellen and Quick Suzy in the Queen Mary.

When asked if he was able to compare winning the Gold Cup to those achievements, he added: “They were massive days, but there is only one Gold Cup and it’s unbelievable to win it.”

Earlier on Tuesday, Cromwell confirmed that Inothewayurthinkin would not bid to complete a historic double at Aintree next month, with connections ultimately deciding against a “tempting” tilt at the Randox Grand National.

Cromwell said: “It was tempting, but I’m very happy with the decision not to go there. He’s only a seven-year-old, we’ve worked hard on his jumping this season and it’s progressed.

“Keith Donoghue has been a big part of that as he rode him all season and has got the horse jumping really well. We’re in a good place and I don’t think it would be the right thing to do to go to the Grand National and potentially unravel that.”

On instead targeting the Punchestown Gold Cup as his end-of-season aim, the trainer added: “It’s a possibility, but far from definite. We’ll see how the next few weeks go and make our decision then.”

Inothewayurthinkin set to be added to Gold Cup field

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Randox Grand National favourite Inothewayurthinkin is likely to be supplemented for next week’s Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup, although his participation will be dependent on suitable ground conditions.

Winner of the Kim Muir at last year’s Cheltenham Festival before following up in Grade One company at Aintree, Gavin Cromwell’s charge has yet to add to his tally this season but ran his best race of the campaign so far when fourth behind Galopin Des Champs in last month’s Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown.

The JP McManus-owned seven-year-old is a general 7-1 market leader for the world’s most famous steeplechase at Aintree on April 5 and connections are keen to first add him to the field for the blue riband at Prestbury Park at a cost of £25,000.

“I’d say he’ll be supplemented for the Gold Cup as long as there’s soft in the ground,” said McManus’ racing manager Frank Berry.

“There’s only one Gold Cup and he’s well at the minute, but it would be important there’s soft in the (going) description for him to run.

“The supplementary stage is on Saturday and I’d say that’s the plan. Gavin is happy with him, but there would need to be soft in the ground for him to run, so we’ll see how that goes.”

Berry also confirmed the intended participation of the Emmet Mullins-trained Corbetts Cross.

Another impressive winner at last year’s Festival in the National Hunt Chase, the eight-year-old was second to Pic d’Orhy in the Grade One Ascot Chase on his latest outing.

Corbetts Cross is set to line up in the Cheltenham Gold Cup
Corbetts Cross is set to line up in the Cheltenham Gold Cup (David Davies/The Jockey Club)

Berry added: “He’ll run, all going well. Both horses are intended runners as long as there is a bit of soft in the description.”

Assuming Inothewayurthinkin and Corbetts Cross do line up in the Gold Cup, it is widely expected that another McManus-owned star, Fact To File, will instead drop back in trip for the Ryanair Chase.

Berry, however, insists no final decision has been made, saying: “It’s wide open at the minute, we’ll see what the ground is like and what’s happening in the next few days.

“He’s not completely out of it (Gold Cup) yet as so many things can happen in a week. All the options are open.”

‘A day we will never forget’ – Stoute’s magic with Estimate sparked scenes to remember

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A special day at Royal Ascot for the late Queen was remembered among the many tributes to Sir Michael Stoute on the announcement of his intention to retire from training ranks at the end of the season.

Stoute’s career has been long and incredibly successful, leaving him with a record that includes all of the British Classics and a huge array of top-class races around the world.

Based at Freemason Lodge in Newmarket, Stoute has been a key figure in the industry for many years and is broadly respected by his peers for his intuitive and patient approach to training.

Stoute was the trainer who guided Her Majesty’s Estimate to victory in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot in 2013, one of many triumphs the two shared in a long association.

John Warren, racing manager to the late Queen, said: “We all had so many happy times working together over some 30 years. As a trainer, Michael was always spot-on knowing when to press the ‘go button’ and his patience paid off in spades.

Horse Racing – The Royal Ascot Meeting 2013 – Day Three – Ascot Racecourse
Queen Elizabeth II and Estimate after victory in the Gold Cup (Steve Parsons/PA)

“Michael’s understated one-liners are legendary and he would often make the late Queen laugh, but he was without thought 100 per cent focused, bringing the best out of every horse in his care.

“I know he gave the late Queen immense pleasure and joy on numerous occasions – winning the Ascot Gold Cup with Estimate was a day we will never forget. I can’t thank him enough for so many happy and great fun memories during his training career.”

Fellow trainer John Gosden said in response to the announcement: “A true champion trainer with a phenomenal feel for the horses in his stable.

“At the height of their powers, Henry Cecil and he were formidable adversaries and lit up the British racing season year on year.”

2016 Qatar Goodwood Festival – Day Two – Goodwood Racecourse
Trainer Sir Michael Stoute (John Walton/PA)

Stoute won the Derby on six occasions, with two of those victories for owner Saeed Suhail with Kris Kin in 2003 and Desert Crown in 2022.

Bruce Raymond, racing manager for the owner, said: “Sir Michael rang me this morning to tell me the news. What you can say? It’s not unexpected, but it’s sad.

“I rode for him as second jockey to Walter Swinburn at one time for Sheikh Maktoum Al Maktoum and rode quite a few winners.

“When my owners talk about telling Sir Michael to do something, I say ‘listen, Sir Michael Stoute has trained every winner in the world twice, I’m not going to tell him anything’ – and he quite rightly probably wouldn’t take any notice anyway!

Cazoo Derby Festival 2022 – Derby Day – Epsom Racecourse
Desert Crown winning the Derby in 2022 (Tim Goode/PA)

“I’m kind of pleased that he’s given up still at the top. It’s not for me to say, but I hope he goes backwards and forwards to Barbados and follows the cricket because that’s his real passion and it’s great to do that before you get too old or unhealthy.

“He obviously trained two Derby winners for Saeed Suhail and a 2000 Guineas winner (King’s Best in 2000) and everything else.

“Who is anyone to tell Sir Michael what to do? There might be someone in the world as good, but there is no one better.”

Courageous Kyprios completes ‘million to one’ comeback

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In 2022, the long and enjoyable Stradivarius era looked to be coming to a close, the staying division having been dominated by a striking chestnut with a white face and huge fan club.

Almost immediately, there seemed a natural successor, the baton was passed when Aidan O’Brien’s Kyprios defeated Stradivarius in the Gold Cup and proceeded to land the Goodwood Cup, the Irish St Leger and the Prix du Cadran in a flawless campaign.

Injury then intervened and not in a gentle way, the joint capsule in Kyprios’ off fore fetlock became infected and it was not just his racing career that then hung in the balance.

The injury can cause a total loss of use of the limb and it was therefore a very real possibility that the horse would not come out of the other side.

The patience of his owners, the unfaltering faith of his trainer and the meticulous care Kyprios received from those around him prevented that fate, but even a runaway optimist would have been hard pressed to imagine him ever returning to the track in the same form, if at all.

Royal Ascot 2024 – Day Three – Ascot Racecourse
Kyprios and Ryan Moore winning the Gold Cup (David Davies/PA)

The fact he came back to run twice last season was miraculous enough, and those were two solid second-placed efforts in the Irish St Leger and the Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup – sure signs his talent had not diminished.

This year, the chestnut took the Listed Vintage Crop on his seasonal debut at Navan and Leopardstown’s Group Three Saval Beg next time out, more firm evidence that he was still the force of old.

When returning to Ascot for the Gold Cup, this time he was the 10-11 favourite, a status that seemed fitting given his recent runs, but was astonishing considering he could have once been considered lucky to be alive.

Under Ryan Moore, he competed in what was a proper horse race, culminating in a neck-and-neck tussle with John and Thady Gosden’s Trawlerman in the final two furlongs.

Kyprios was the horse who dug deepest, drawing perhaps on the same resilience and will that lifted him quite literally to his feet after a near-death experience and carried him through the process of having to learn to be a racehorse again.

Royal Ascot 2024 – Day Three – Ascot Racecourse
Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore after the victory (John Walton/PA)

“It’s a million to one, it’s almost impossible to come back from what he came back from,” O’Brien said.

“At one stage, we weren’t sure that he would live, but then he came back, we had to teach him how to walk and get him on a treadmill.

“Then we had to teach him how to trot and how to canter, this was before a rider ever went near him.

“It was like someone having the most horrific injury, a human being, and going from winning the Olympics to having to learn to move and walk, then getting back to the very top level.

“It shouldn’t have happened, I don’t know how it happened. I think it was because of all the people around him who did so much, day in, day out, and were so committed. Everyone put him first.

Royal Ascot 2024 – Day Three – Ascot Racecourse
Kyprios returning to the paddock (Yui Mok/PA)

“I have never experienced anything within 100 miles of it. He got an infection in his joint and it got into his joint capsule, usually what happens then is that they lose the movement in the joint – and for a while he did, but it came back.

“It shouldn’t have happened, to come back like that, but it happened. Nothing is impossible.”

Moyglare Stud bred and still jointly own Kyprios, alongside Michael Tabor, John Magnier, Paul Smith and Westerberg, and the stud’s Fiona Craig was as amazed as O’Brien to see him triumph by a length after the ordeal of his injury.

“It is all down to Aidan, I saw him all the way through and I never thought he’d make it here,” she said.

“The horse has a heart the size of a house; he battled to live, he battled to come back. Aidan never lost confidence, he just said ‘give him time’.

“Now we go on and we just dream about the future. I said to Michael Tabor, ‘we’ll see you here next year!’.

“With the injury, he doesn’t have much mileage, his two runs last year were just stunning. He wasn’t ridden until the beginning of July and he ran in the Irish St Leger (in September), it just goes to show, that’s the horse. He will always try.”