Racing has a bad habit of underestimating consistency at high levels. Yes, City of Troy is a champion 2-year-old who trained as well as he did at 3 and spent most of the summer warming up. Although last week’s Breeders’ Cup Classic in California was short, his success at the Juddmonte International was a highlight of the season.
But was he really the best horse of the 2024-25 season? He recovered from a crash in the 2000 Guineas to win a regular Derby. He won the eclipse and put on an incredible show at York, but resigned when things went wrong. Aidan O’Brien says it’s the best it’s ever been. The numbers and shapes don’t match. I suspect Troisi is focusing on stallion sports without realizing how high the ceiling is.
Frankel continued to train until he was four years old and left his mark on the game as a top company kid, an outstanding three-year-old and a winning four-year-old. He did everything without a problem. The same can be said about the city of Troy, which is very good, but does not fall into the great category.
So who was the best horse this season? The success of Bluestocking’s Arc was a rich reward for Ralph Beckett’s consistency at the highest level. Charyn has improved dramatically since March, becoming a dominant force in lean runs and miles, but even she is winning. Credit must go to kyprios. He is a great athlete who has won all seven races this season.
The six-year-old has the most Group 1 wins under O’Brien, a remarkable achievement considering the number of quality horses he has trained over the decades. What’s even more interesting is that the joint capsule in kyprios’ frontal bone became inflamed, putting his life in danger.
There was a real possibility that the horse would not come out the other side, as the injury could result in the loss of full use of the limb. The 2022-23 season was technically over. He returned from an 11-month layoff at the end of last year and finished second twice. When he regained his Ascot Gold Cup crown last June, O’Brien said it was his “one in a million” comeback. The trainer added: “He can’t go back where he came from. “At one point we weren’t sure if he was going to survive. But when he came back, we had to teach him how to walk and how to put him on the treadmill. “Then we had to teach him to trot and gallop, and that was before the rider came near him. “It was like someone had a serious injury, won the Olympics, then learned to move and walk and come out on top again.
“It shouldn’t have happened, I don’t know how it happened. I think it’s due to the hard work and dedication of everyone around me, day and night.” Everyone thought of him first. “I’ve never experienced anything within 100 miles. It usually loses motion in the joint because the infection has entered the joint capsule. It was like that for a while, but it’s back. It wasn’t supposed to come back like this, but it did. – Everything is possible.This year he won the Vintage Crop at Navan in April, won a Sawal Beg penalty at Leopardstown and the season’s Gold Cup came in 2024, the only time he won against his rivals but without fuss and the Goodwood Cup in July. , in September he regained his Irish St Leger title, in October he defended his Quadran crown in Paris and two weeks later won the long-distance Champions Cup in England. Ascot.
He came back from the coast, danced every dance, dominated his division and delivered a 120-point performance with incredible consistency. He handles all types of terrain, is tactically versatile and is full of class. His long record at the top table is remarkable. Like all great walkers, he is looking for himself. It is enough. So you can see him winning by a few points. And kyprios will be back at 7 next season. The same plan was followed in the attempt to win the third Gold Cup. Let’s not forget her brilliance. Because while her brilliance may seem predictable, everyone else is young and bright. Victory is never boring and there is no better star 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.
