Kyprios - one of the abiding memories of day one

Kyprios - retired after brilliant career

Coolmore announce retirement of star stayer Kyprios

By David Ord

Horse Racing

Wed May 28, 2025 · 7M ago

Coolmore have announced the retirement of star stayer Kyprios.

In a statement on the X social media platform they said: "Due to an aggravation of an old ringbone lesion we have decided to take no chances with Kyprios and although he is currently sound and doing well the decision has been made to retire him from racing."

In a brilliant career, the Aidan O'Brien-trained seven-year-old ruled supreme in his division, winning 17 of his 21 career starts and his last nine in succession.

His big-race haul included the 2022 and 2024 Gold Cups at Royal Ascot, two Goodwood Cups, Irish St Legers and Prix Du Cadrans. He won the Vintage Crop Stakes and Saval Beg three times and last season added the QIPO Long Distance Cup to his CV.

Mike Vince tribute

When a horse's two-year-old career features a September maiden win at Galway before finishing nearer last than first in the Zetland Stakes at Newmarket, you don’t normally start reaching for the book of superlatives.

But that is how Kyprios’ story began in 2020 - and now he retires with the extraordinary record of 17 victories from 21 career starts and more than £2.5 million earned.

Staying was always going to be his game, and the step up to long distances in 2022 brought about a glorious six-timer, beginning domestically with the Vintage Crop Stakes at Navan and then the Saval Beg at Leopardstown before the son of Galileo rocketed to the top of the staying charts by landing the Gold Cup at Royal Aascot, the Goodwood Cup where he memorably saw off Stradivarius by a neck, the Irish St Leger and Prix du Cadran at Longhcamp.

Kyprios is a remarkable winner of the Cadran

A serious injury followed, one that tested the genius of Aiden O’Brien and his team, and restricted Kyprios to just two starts the following season, finishing second at The Curragh and filling the same spot in the QIPCO Long Distance Cup at Ascot.

But any obituaries that were being penned proved to be premature.

In 2024, not only did he complete the same six-timer as two years before, but he added a seventh win, bringing the house down on Champions Day at Ascot.

And at the age of seven he went again. The Vintage Crop and Saval Beg secured safely in the bag.

Bit then the recurrence of an old injury and connections called time on a dazzling career. It means there's no defence of the Gold Cup at Ascot, a place where one of the great pictures of last year was the sight of Ryan Moore being ‘legged up’ by O’Brien right by the statue in the paddock of that fellow staying immortal Yeats.

Kyprios is one of the few that could be talked about in the same breath as his illustrious Ballydoyle predecessor such is the impact he made.

Coolmore announce retirement of star stayer Kyprios

Mike Vince tribute

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