Latest news with #Kyprios
Scottish Sun
15-07-2025
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
Aidan O'Brien snaps up legendary late jockey's son who's the ‘double of his dad' for big ride
He'll be wearing some very famous silks RUNS IN THE FAMILY Aidan O'Brien snaps up legendary late jockey's son who's the 'double of his dad' for big ride Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) AIDAN O'BRIEN has snapped up a legendary late jockey's son - who's 'the double of his dad' - for a big ride. Every jockey dreams of riding for the iconic Ballydoyle boss. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 Paddy Smullen - who punters think looks 'the double' of his late dad Pat - has been giving his big racing break by Aidan O'Brien 3 Tragic Pat, seen here after winning the Derby on Harzand, died aged just 43 after bravely battling pancreatic cancer Credit: Rex 3 Paddy will race in the iconic black and white silks made so famous by his legendary dad Credit: PA And, on Tuesday, Paddy Smullen gets the chance to do just that in some very famous silks. Paddy, whose sole career victory came aboard Dermot Weld's Grappa Nonino at Dundalk in March, is the son of the late, great Pat Smullen. The nine-time Irish Champion Jockey died aged 43 in September 2020 having lost his battle with pancreatic cancer. Smullen Snr - who won the 2016 Derby on Harzand and 2003 2,000 Guineas on Refuse To Bend - was famed for his 'enduring partnership' with Weld. So it was fitting that his hugely promising jockey son's first winner would come on one of Weld's horses. He will be aiming to chalk one up for O'Brien on Tuesday, though, as he gets the leg up on Mont St Michel. The 10-11 favourite for a 1m6f race at Killarney runs in the iconic Kyprios black and white silks of Moyglare Stud. Smullen Snr wore the same when he rode Refuse To Bend to victory in the 2003 2,000 Guineas. Mont St Michel, a four-year-old colt, was close up behind the now-retired Kyprios on his last run and is co-owned by the Coolmore juggernaut of John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith. Paddy, 17, spoke so well after his breakthrough win - and explained how much it meant to him to follow in his old's man footsteps. He said: "I wasn't thinking about winning but just getting as good a position as I can. "I came out in front and was delighted. It doesn't feel real at all. It all went way too fast, it's amazing. "There's lots of sentimental value as well. It's brilliant to follow in his footsteps. "Dermot and the whole family have been amazing to me. I'm happy to repay them for what they've done for me." One punter commented afterwards: "Got shivers when I saw DK Weld and P Smullen on the card… absolutely brilliant, best of luck in the future." While another wrote: "Best of luck Paddy, your father would be so proud of you." And it's clear O'Brien clearly sees some of that talent too, jocking him up on a potential stayer of the future. FREE BETS - GET THE BEST SIGN UP DEALS AND RACING OFFERS Commercial content notice: Taking one of the offers featured in this article may result in a payment to The Sun. You should be aware brands pay fees to appear in the highest placements on the page. 18+. T&Cs apply. Remember to gamble responsibly A responsible gambler is someone who: Establishes time and monetary limits before playing Only gambles with money they can afford to lose Never chases their losses Doesn't gamble if they're upset, angry or depressed Gamcare – Gamble Aware – Find our detailed guide on responsible gambling practices here.
Rhyl Journal
20-06-2025
- Sport
- Rhyl Journal
O'Brien expecting Illinois progress after Gold Cup defeat
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.'
Leader Live
20-06-2025
- Sport
- Leader Live
O'Brien expecting Illinois progress after Gold Cup defeat
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.'
Hindustan Times
19-06-2025
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Horse racing-Favourite Trawlerman wins Gold Cup at Royal Ascot
ASCOT, England (Reuters) -Favourite Trawlerman, ridden by William Buick, led all the way to win Royal Ascot's headline Gold Cup in record time and make up for missing out last year on a sizzling hot Ladies Day afternoon on Thursday. The Godolphin-owned seven-year-old, runner-up last year and trained by John and Thady Gosden, beat Aidan O'Brien-trained Illinois (9-4) by seven lengths with Godolphin's Dubai Future (28-1) finishing third. Trawlerman's official time was four minutes 15.02 seconds, breaking the 2010 track record of 4:16.92 set by Gold Cup winner Rite of Passage. The race attracted eight entries, with a new winner guaranteed after O'Brien's 2024 winner Kyprios was retired in May due to injury. Former champion jockey Buick punched the air in triumph as he crossed the finish line to clinch his first Gold Cup victory and a fifth for John Gosden in the space of eight years. "He's a great horse. We tried it last year and we were only beaten by the great Kyprios. He's been such a good horse, he's so genuine," said Buick, who pulled steadily away over the final furlong. "I didn't have to touch the brakes once, he was in a nice rhythm and he was relaxed; he went on autopilot, he knows his own speed and he stays well so I was just a passenger. "First Gold Cup, it's been a long time coming and it's not an easy race to win." The Gosdens now have five wins on the board at this week's Ascot, the father and son training the St James' Palace Stakes winner Field of Gold on Tuesday as well as Ombudsman in the Prince of Wales Stakes on Wednesday. Fancied French entry Candelari, from the stable of the Aga Khan, finished sixth and 29 lengths behind the winner on his British debut. First run in 1807, the Gold Cup is a two-and-a-half-mile marathon showpiece that ranks as one of the greatest tests of stamina in flat racing and features the best staying horses in Europe. Leading jockey Ryan Moore later completed a day's treble, and chalked up his 90th Royal Ascot winner, with Trinity College winning the Hampton Court Stakes. Moore, now 10th in the all-time list of British flat jockeys with 2,595 career wins, also won the Ribblesdale Stakes with Garden of Eden and the Norfolk Stakes with Charles Darwin. The Thursday of the five-day festival that starts on Tuesday is traditionally known as Ladies Day and stands out as an afternoon mixing fashion and sport on the nation's social calendar, with King Charles in attendance. Water was handed out as temperatures hit 30 degrees Celsius, with organisers reporting 42 people had received treatment for heat-related conditions on Wednesday and one taken to hospital. (Reporting by Alan Baldwin in London, editing by Toby Davis and Pritha Sarkar)
North Wales Chronicle
19-06-2025
- Sport
- North Wales Chronicle
O'Brien expecting Illinois progress after Gold Cup defeat
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.'
