Aidan O’Brien is gearing up to take a strong contingent to the Qatar Goodwood Festival, led by his star stayer Kyprios. However, the Ballydoyle trainer has noted the ground conditions cautiously.
Kyprios has made a triumphant return this year, having reclaimed the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot in an impressive comeback, especially considering the serious health risks he faced previously.
A joint infection once halted his career, but after an intensive rehabilitation process, his return to form has made his victories even more gratifying, showcasing that he hasn't lost any of his remarkable talent.
He previously won the Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup in 2022, establishing himself as a top stayer, and now he aims to reclaim that title on the Sussex Downs.
“Kyprios is lazy in his work, but we’re very happy with him. Everything has gone well since Ascot. We are very happy with him,” said O’Brien.
“He’s a very special horse and has a lot of class. He has a lot more class than most people think. He does stay, but he’d have no problem being a Group horse over one mile and two furlongs. As he goes up in distance, he just gets better. Those good stayers are very rare. When you go to those distances, very few horses get them really, but he has the class and gets the trip as well.”
O’Brien also mentioned that stablemate Point Lonsdale might enter the race depending on the conditions. “Point Lonsdale could possibly join him. If the ground at Goodwood turns out to be very firm, we may need to reconsider running Kyprios.”
The Qatar Sussex Stakes is anticipated to be a rematch of the St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot, with Rosallion, Henry Longfellow, and Notable Speech crossing paths again.
O’Brien has secured this race six times and is just one victory away from equalling Sir Henry Cecil’s record of seven wins in this prestigious one-mile event.
O’Brien has high hopes for Opera Singer in the Qatar Nassau Stakes following her strong second-place finish to the impressive Porta Fortuna in the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Undefeated Jan Brueghel is set to compete in the Group Three John Pearce Racing Gordon Stakes and could potentially aim for the St Leger at Doncaster in September, which is the final British Classic of the season.
The Lillie Langtry trophy has never been won by Ballydoyle, but O’Brien is hopeful Grateful can change that as she represents the stable in the Group Two event.
“She’s a Galileo filly, and she’s the last of the Galileo’s out of Tepin. She has the most incredible pedigree,” he said.
“We were delighted with her last time when she stepped up in the distance. She was still green when she got to the front. Ronan Whelan rode her and thought she would come forward again.”