Kyprios sealed a outstanding comeback by beating Trawlerman in an exciting Gold Cup duel at Royal Ascot to grow to be solely the third horse to regain the title.
The 2022 winner, who missed the race final 12 months with a life-threatening leg damage, prevailed by a size beneath Ryan Moore for coach Aidan O’Brien.
Kyprios, despatched off the 11-10 favorite, got here out on high after a gripping battle up the house straight, with Candy William in third.
It was a ninth win within the week’s greatest race for O’Brien, who was described as a “genius” by Michael Tabor, one of many successful homeowners.
The coach revealed Kyprios had recovered from a severe fetlock joint damage which grew to become badly contaminated.
“It is one million to at least one, it is nearly unattainable to come back again from what he got here again from,” O’Brien mentioned.
“At one stage, we weren’t positive that he would dwell, however then he got here again, we needed to educate him the best way to stroll and get him on a treadmill.
“It was like somebody having probably the most horrific damage, a human being, and going from successful the Olympics to having to study to maneuver and stroll, then getting again to the very high degree.”
Kyprios hit the entrance approaching the ultimate furlong and fended off the problem of Trawlerman, beneath William Buick for John and Thady Gosden.
Trawlerman had overwhelmed Kyprios on softer floor at Ascot on British Champions Day in October.
“That is what you prefer to see – a ding-dong proper to the road on the finish of a Gold Cup. Having nailed him on the mud, Kyprios beat us on the quick floor immediately,” mentioned John Gosden, who additionally trains Candy William.
Anticipation (1819) and Kayf Tara (2020) are the one different horses to have regained the Gold Cup crown.