Trawlerman (nearside) and Kyprios battle it out last year© Photo Healy Racing
Kyprios and Trawlerman meet for a third time in an intriguing head-to-head with the score all-square ahead of the Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup.
John and Thady Gosden’s Trawlerman came out on top in this contest last season after Kyprios had been nursed back to health following a serious injury.
Then, at Royal Ascot in June the two clashed again and once more it was tight, with Aidan O’Brien’s chestnut prevailing by a length.
Trawlerman has since been kept fresh for this contest, but Kyprios has danced every dance after his interrupted campaign last year.
His season began in April and this will be his seventh outing. He did not run in August but is returning to action less than two weeks after winning the Prix du Cadran for a second time.
“He’s incredible really, he keeps coming up with the goods,” said O’Brien.
“He seems to be in good form since France, we just wanted to give him all the time to see how he came out of it but he seems to be in good shape.
“The ground has never seemed to bother him, whatever it is. This year it was fast ground in the Gold Cup and then it was soft in France the last day, it all seems to come alike to him.
“We’ve not had many like him, he’s been an incredible horse.”
O’Brien also runs the three-year-old The Euphrates, who was not far behind Kyprios in the Irish St Leger and then won the Irish Cesarewitch.
“The Euphrates ran very well in the Irish St Leger and then went back to the Curragh and won the Irish Cesarewitch. That was a big handicap prize and we think he’s a horse who is very much on the upgrade,” said O’Brien.
Trawlerman has developed into a top-class stayer, although he needs to prove he is as effective on soft ground.
John Gosden said: “Trawlerman had a hard race in the Gold Cup, so we put him away – he had a nice holiday on his owner’s stud farm. He has come back in and is in great order for the rematch.”
The Gosdens have a strong second-string to their bow in Sweet William, the Doncaster Cup winner.
Robert Havlin gets a good tune out of him and told Racing TV: “He’s never been out of the first three in his life.
“There’s no Trueshan in the race this year but there’s quite a few others. Tom Clover’s Al Nayyir has impressed lately. We’re drawn next to Kyprios, so I hope I can keep tabs on him through the race.
“In his home work, he’s a lot more straightforward and his last couple of bits of work have been his best, so I’m hoping for a big run.
“We’ve been changing things all year, given him a few surprises, fiddle around – and he seems to enjoy it.”
Al Nayyir has only had two runs for Clover since joining from France but he pushed Vauban close at York and then was an easy winner at Newmarket.
“He worked on Sunday morning and seems really well in himself,” said the trainer.
“If he can repeat the two runs he has had for us, we would be hopeful of having a good chance. He is ground versatile as well.”
Caius Chorister has been winless this season for David Menuisier but she has nevertheless run some fine races in defeat, before disappointing in France last time out.
“She was travelling sweet when another runner came on her outside three furlongs out and she felt entrapped and tried to run away, so ran her race in the false straight and had nothing more to offer. She’d beaten the winner (Grateful) at Goodwood,” said Menuisier.
“With Kyprios running, we are just going there for the breadcrumbs, but she has some of the best form of the others and finishing second or third would be great.”
