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Gold Cup: St George makes it seven for O'Brien

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Posted in: Royal Ascot News

The top event for stayers at the Royal meeting fell to odds-on favourite Order of St George whose success was a seventh in the race for trainer Aidan O'Brien.

See the full result of the Gold Cup here

Last year's runaway Irish St Leger winner was sent off at 10/11 in one of the biggest Gold Cup fields of recent years, though favourite backers must have had a few anxious moments as Order of St George still had plenty of ground to make up turning for home.


One of the French challengers Mille Et Mille set out to make all, opening up a clear lead on the run down the hill and then kicking on again once into the straight after being given a breather. However, confidently ridden by Ryan Moore who settled Order of St George in mid-division for most of the contest, the favourite stayed on best from over a furlong out as the long-time leader weakened.


Order of St George had three lengths to spare at the line over 10/1-shot Mizzou who was never too far away, while 40/1 outsider Sheikhzayedroad ran on to deprive Mille Et Mille of third place another two and a quarter lengths behind.


Aidan O'Brien's previous Gold Cup wins had come courtesy of Yeats' four-timer between 2006 and 2009 followed by the victories of Fame And Glory in 2011 and Leading Light in 2014. Ryan Moore was winning his second Gold Cup after partnering the Queen's Estimate three years earlier. 


O'Brien, the winning most trainer in the Gold Cup, said: "It was a great performance. He is a brave horse. I'm over the moon to come here less than three weeks after his last run [Saval Beg Stakes, Leopardstown] and win this."


O'Brien was quick to highlight the skills of Ryan Moore who gave the horse a superb ride. He commented: "Ryan gave him a great ride and was very cool on him. It was a very rough race. Ryan was very clever and didn't panic on him. He put him asleep and despite it getting pretty rough, he wasn't worried and pulled Order Of St George out in the home straight without using any gas. He had to be very cool to do what he did.


"The lads have done a great job to get the horse  back here after he had a setback last year as we were a little worried that we wouldn't get him back. Donnacha [O'Brien, jockey] was very happy when he rode him in the Saval Beg at Leopardstown so we knew we had a chance.


"He was asleep during the race and I knew he was a seriously classy horse. When Ryan switched him out, he came up the middle and wasn't waiting on anyone else, he just kept on coming. He is just a big Rolls Royce engine."


"He was the highest-rated older horse in Ireland last year. We knew he stayed and with these middle-distance horses with that kind of chance, you always feel they have a chance because of their quality. He won an Irish Leger in soft ground off a strong pace by 11 lengths and was going away.  So if he wasn't going to stay none of the horses were going to stay.


"When you see a horse win the Leger like him does, Joseph [O'Brien] came off him and said that he was the best stayer he had ever rode by a mile."


O'Brien suggested a tilt at the Irish Leger and also the Prix De L'Arc De Triomphe were possible destinations for the impressive winner. He said: "We thought that we would give him a break now and then give him an Irish Leger prep before going for the Irish Leger. We would then look for something in the autumn and we would not rule out the Arc if there was suitable ground come Arc time."


O'Brien was also quick to pay tribute to the owners and staff who are so integral to the Ballydoyle operation. He said: "I'm delighted for Lloyd Williams, John Magnier, Derrick Smith and Michael Tabor. They and the lads at home put a lot in and it is a big team effort and everyone works very hard together. It is a good sense of satisfaction for everyone.From the day the horses are conceived to the day they come to the Ballydoyle and then come here.


"It's great when the days go the right way because other days don't go your way. You just have to take the good with the bad and enjoy the good days."


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