Racing has as a bad knack of undervaluing consistency at the top level. Yes, City Of Troy largely ignited the Flat season as a champion two-year-old that trained on nicely at the age of three. A Breeders’ Cup Classic tilt ended in failure in California last week but his Juddmonte International success was arguably the flashiest performance of the Flat season.
But has he been the best horse of the 2024-25 campaign? He bounced back from disaster in the 2,000 Guineas to win an ordinary Derby. He grinded out an Eclipse win and then produced a dazzling display at York but bowed out tamely when it went wrong in the dirt.
Aidan O’Brien says he’s the best they’ve ever had. The figures and form disagree. The suspicion is that City Of Troy departs off to stallion duties without the racing public genuinely knowing how high the ceiling was. Frankel stayed in training as a four-year-old and stamped his authority on the game as a top-class juvenile, brilliant three-year-old and all-conquering four-year-old in company. He did it all without a blip. The same can’t be said of City Of Troy, who is placed in the very good category but not great.
So who has been the best horse this season? Bluestocking’s Arc success was a rich reward for her consistency at the top level for Ralph Beckett. Charyn has been on the go since March and improved admirably to be the dominant force in a weak mile division but even he was beaten.
The honour must go to Kyprios. A brilliant stayer that has won all seven of his races this season. The six-year-old has won the most Group Ones for O’Brien and, given how many quality horses he has trained over the decades, that’s a remarkable achievement. It’s even more remarkable when the life of Kyprios was in the balance after the joint capsule in his off fore fetlock became infected.
Kyprios wins the Saval Beg in 2022 at Leopardstown before his serious injury
The brilliant stayer in splendid isolation as the six-year-old romps home in the Goodwood Cup
Kyprios (far left) kicks clear to win the Long Distance Cup at Ascot last month
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. Season 2022-23 was technically a write-off. He was second twice at the end of last year as he worked his way back to fitness after 11 months off track.
Regaining his Ascot Gold Cup crown in June, O’Brien said his comeback was ‘a million to one’.
The trainer added: ‘It’s almost impossible to come back from what he came back from. ‘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.
‘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.’
This year he won the Vintage Crop at Navan in April, the Saval Beg at Leopardstown was a penalty kick, the Gold Cup in June was the only time in 2024 he went of odds-against but prevailed with minimal fuss, in July he claimed the Goodwood Cup, in September he regained his Irish St Leger title, in October he defended his Cadran crown in Paris and two weeks later was victorious in the British Champions Long Distance Cup at Ascot.
Bluestocking won the Arc at Longchamp as a rich reward for her consistency this season
He’s came back from the brink, danced every dance, dominated his division and produced 120-rated performances with stunning regularity. He goes on all types of ground, is tactically versatile and oozes class. His longevity at the top table is extraordinary. Like all top drawer stayers, he minds himself. Only does enough. That’s why you see him win by a couple of lengths.
And Kyprios will be back next season as a seven-year-old. The same plan mapped out in a bid to win three Gold Cups. Let’s not lose sight of his brilliance because it may seem predictable and that others are younger and flashier. Winning is never boring and no equine star does it better than Kyprios.
RUSSELL RACKS UP 1,000th CAREER SUCCESS
The milestones keep mounting for Lucinda Russell. The Perthshire-based trainer is going from strength to strength and she trained her 1,000th winner at Kelso on Saturday.
Russell started training in 1995 but her stock has never been higher as it is now. A dual Grand National winner, there are now 100 horses in her yard and the partnership with Michael Scudamore has expanded her base. The quality in the Russell stable keeps on improving and she smashed the £1million prize-money barrier for the second season in a row.
Maintaining that upward trajectory into the upper echelon of the jumping game is now the challenge for Russell. Alongside partner Peter Scudamore, the strength is in recruitment and attracting an increasing pool of loyal owners. Expectations are rising but Russell is meeting them head on and more winners are sure to arrive.
PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK…
Dry weather has led to small fields and a false start to kick-off the jumps season. Top trainer Paul Nicholls enjoyed a good day at his local happy hunting ground of Wincanton but the show was stolen by an extraordinary front-running display by AL DANCER in the Badger Beer Handicap Chase. Under 7lb claimer Callum Pritchard, the 11-year-old set, and amazingly maintained, a relentless pace up front for three miles and one furlong to win by 10 lengths at 25-1 for trainer Sam Thomas.
SELECTIONS OF THE DAY…
Three worthy of consideration in a good jumping card at Sandown. VINCENZO (10-3, bet365) shaped as if he needed the run when third in the Persian War at Chepstow on reappearance and a mark of 126 looks lenient and top conditional jockey Patrick Wadge adds extra confidence in the opener (12.30).
Trainer Harry Fry rates ANNO POWER (6-4, William Hill) highly and could take high rank in the Mares Novices’ Hurdle division. This is a warm little race to make her hurdling debut (1.40) against the boys but her bumper form reads well. Providing she relaxes and is fit enough on reappearance, she ought to deliver the goods.
Copperhead has shot up the weights in veterans chasing company and the weight pull combined with the stiff jumping test of Sandown can help GOOD BOY BOBBY (9-4, Paddy Power) reverse the form from Chepstow. Nigel Twiston-Davies’ 11-year-old won this contest (3.25) last year and can go in again in this four-runner heat.
