Royal Ascot Hammer Blow while Superstar Kyprios retires a few weeks before Gold Cup

Royal Ascot is a hammer blow – after the retirement of Superstar Horse Kyprios was confirmed.

Aidan O’Brien’s all-conquering monster, one of the biggest renupe ever, was long no chance with the most bookmakers for a third golden cup on June 19.

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But a flight of an injury has forced connections to announce his shock pension in seven years old, after an eyebrow-elevated market movement.

Owners Coolmore posted on X on Tuesday: “Kyprios retires.

“Due to a worsening of an old ring bone lesion, we have decided not to take opportunities with Kyprios and although he is currently healthy and good, the decision to retire has been taken.”

Trainer O’Brien had publicly insisted, as was good with the great resident, who won 17 of his 21 races, after he became awkward earlier this month after his last victory in Leopardstown.

Kyprios had just won the Saval Beg in Ireland with a raised 1-14 when he carefully moved into the housing of the winner.

Images that apparently showed the next morning that he moved well – and a pole of Ballydoyle presented so much.

But as always the markets told the real story, with Stablemate Illinois smashed for the Gold Cup from nowhere.

The price of Kyprios shot up and although it went back the following days, writing was really on the wall.

It is a pity that a real icon of racing, who won a stunning £ 2.7 million on the track and has only been beaten twice since May 2021, does not get a shot when Royal Ascot Glory.

But connections, which returned him from the edge of death in the winter of 2022, always said they would never risk him again.

And now at least he leaves fans with memories of his sparkle on the track instead of something else.

One said: “An absolute legend in sport, one of the best I have seen. Enjoy retirement, champion.”

While another posted on X: “Great horse. Congratulations on a legendary career and so good of you to take care of him.”

Kyprios won two golden cups in his career and was on a remarkable nine race winning series – including seven in a row last season.

‘Lazy in front’ as O’Brien would always say, Kyprios blew rare fields, always doing enough when it became difficult to win with more than a bare margin in hand.

The big exception to this was probably his unforgettable Prix du Cadran win on Arc Weekend in October 2022.

He walked around everywhere in the last Furlong and drove straight to the almost stand side … but still won with 20 lengths.

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