Kyprios lost to Trawlerman last October at Ascot racing a little less than two miles in the British Champions Long Distance Cup, and had the Ascot Gold Cup on Thursday been run over that trip, Kyprios probably would have lost again. The Gold Cup, the featured race Thursday at Royal Ascot, is a 2 1/2-mile race and only when a half-furlong of it remained did favored Kyprios finally push past pacesetting Trawlerman. The pair fought it out for most of the homestretch before Trawlerman finally succumbed, Kyprios running his margin of victory up to one length in the dying strides. It was a second Group 1 Gold Cup for Kyprios, who won the race in 2022 but missed the 2023 renewal. Kyprios might not have been at his mighty best in his first two starts this season, but trainer Aidan O’Brien had the horse primed for this major objective. A brave Trawlerman finished five lengths clear of third-place Prince William racing over a good-to-firm course. Kyprios paid $3.60 to win. :: Bet Royal Ascot with confidence: DRF PPs Available Now Jockey Ryan Moore settled Kyprios in second during the early stages of the Gold Cup before a hard-pulling Caius Chorister came on the outside to take second behind Trawlerman, giving Moore cover until he was ready to take his mount three wide for a clear run. Kyprios, with three furlongs remaining, looked like he’d pull clear but needed nearly the length of the stretch to push past Trawlerman. Six-year-old Kyprios is by Galileo out of Polished Gem, by Danehill, and won for the 11th time in 15 races. The best staying horse in Europe as a 4-year-old, Kyprios has claimed that crown again going into the summer. O’Brien and Moore also teamed to capture one of the supporting features, the Group 2 Ribblesdale, with Port Fairy, who paid $27.80 on the American tote after winning her Group stakes debut. Port Fairy ran a gallant race. A distant second to runaway leader You Got To Me in this 1 1/2-mile contest for 3-year-old fillies, Port Fairy closed the gap before hitting the homestretch but had to work to pass a stubborn You Got To Me. Port Fairy had not even taken the pacesetter’s measure when Lava Stream rolled up on the outside and surged to the lead. Port Fairy never let Lava Stream get more than a head in front, holding her position under heavy urging from Moore and regaining the lead with a half-furlong to run. The winning margin was just a neck as Lava Stream came back again at the wire. Port Fairy, racing for the first time since a second-place finish May 8 in the listed Cheshire Oaks, is by Australia out of Fabulae by Fastnet Rock. Kalpana, narrowly favored over Diamond Rain, finished third. Diamond Rain pulled early and faded to finish last of 12. Thursday’s action began with the Group 2 Norfolk Stakes, which Shareholder ($24.20) won by one length, giving owner Wathnan Racing, trainer Karl Burke, and jockey James Doyle a rare Royal Ascot double in 2-year-old stakes races this week. The same connections won the Queen Mary on Tuesday with longshot Leovanni. Doyle had Shareholder positioned close to the front while racing in a group of horses going down the far side of the course in this five-furlong contest. Shareholder snatched the lead with about a furlong left to run and held on to win despite coming off his true line. Tropical Storm bested three others in a blanket finish, home second by a head over Arizona Blaze. Heavily favored Whistlejacket finished fourth after an unusual trip that saw him take the early lead, fade in the middle stages, and then come to life again through the last furlong. The Wesley Ward-trained Saturday Flirt never reached contention and checked in 10th. Bred in the United States, Shareholder is by Not This Time out of Cloudy Dancer, by Invincible Spirit. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.