While his retirement last month will prevent Kyprios from pursuing a third Gold Cup (G1) victory, his trainer, Aidan O'Brien, is not empty-handed ahead of this year's edition of one of the world's most important races for stayers.
O'Brien will send out the expected favorite in Illinois in the about 2 1/2-mile test that has attracted eight older horses for the June 18 race at the Royal Ascot meeting. The Gold Cup is scheduled for 4:20 p.m. local time (11:20 a.m. ET).
O'Brien, of course, trains for owners associated with Coolmore, and Kyprios and Illinois both fall into that category. A homebred 4-year-old Galileo colt, the latter officially races for Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier, and Michael Tabor. Illinois captured the Queen's Vase (G2) at last year's Royal Ascot meeting and enters Thursday's test off a clear victory in the Ormonde Stakes (G3) May 8 at Chester Racecourse.
The Ormonde is contested at about 1 2/3 miles.
"He has slotted in for Kyprios and everything has gone well in the build-up. We were delighted with him at Chester as we felt he would come on a lot for it," O'Brien said. "He stays very well but he's got a bit of class to go with it, and that's what you need in a Gold Cup."
Kyprios, also by Galileo, would retire with eight group 1 scores to his credit. He captured last year's Gold Cup by a length over Trawlerman. He also won the 2022 edition of the race. Illinois closed out last season with a victory in the about 1 7/8-mile Prix Chaudenay (G2) at Longchamp—his longest effort to date. That will change Thursday.
"You never know for sure whether they will stay the Gold Cup trip until you try it," O'Brien said. "Once you go beyond two miles, you're entering unknown territory. We'll find out at the same time as everyone else, but we always thought he'd stay."
Godolphin will counter with Trawlerman, who finished second in last year's edition of this race and enters off a five-length romp for trainers John and Thady Gosden in the about two-mile Henry II Stakes (G3) May 29 at Sandown Racecourse.
John Gosden noted that the 7-year-old Golden Horn gelding is one of the few horses in the field where the ability to handle the distance won't be an unknown.
"He stays the 2 1/2 miles and will run in his usual style, making it a test for everybody else," Gosden said. "This is still a good Gold Cup, even without Kyprios, and will take plenty (to win). You need a horse who gets the trip, which we know Trawlerman does."
Quotes provided by David Jennings of Racing Post.
