Royal Ascot: Kyprios wins thrilling Gold Cup from Mojo Star and Stradivarius

Kyprios won in front of a bumper crowd on Ladies’ Day

Favourite Kyprios won the Gold Cup at Ascot as Stradivarius was denied a record-equalling fourth victory.

The 13-8 shot, ridden by Ryan Moore for trainer Aidan O’Brien, prevailed from Mojo Star, with Stradivarius third in a thrilling tactical battle.

Stradivarius had to go widest of all under Frankie Dettori and closed late on but could not catch the victor.

It was an eighth Gold Cup victory for O’Brien, who won the race four times with Yeats from 2006 to 2009.

Dettori had been shadowed and kept inside on the rail by Moore as the race was run under a steady pace.

As Moore led, chased by Mojo Star, Dettori was forced to go to the outside and could not catch the leaders.

“It was not the nicest race to ride in,” said Moore, who won by half a length from Mojo Star with three quarters of a length back to Stradivarius.

Dettori said he did not have an ideal passage but his mount would probably not have won anyway.

“I had to take him to the outside which cost me a little bit, but the younger horses had fresher legs. He’s been a star and I’m very proud of him,” he said.

There was a 50-1 shock in the opening Norfolk Stakes when The Ridler survived a stewards’ inquiry after drifting to his left to become the race’s biggest-priced winner.

Paul Hanagan, who recently lost his job as main jockey for Richard Fahey, landed the contest for the trainer for a second successive year but was given a 10-day ban for careless riding.

Walbank was a length and three quarters back in second while third-placed Crispy Cat and Brave Nation in fourth were impeded.

“We got a wipe out from the winner, it made the difference. We would have won,” said Crispy Cat’s jockey Silvestre de Sousa.

William Buick claimed his third victory of the week as 4-1 favourite Secret State, for trainer Charlie Appleby, held off the fast-finishing Deauville Legend with Israr third in the King George V Stakes.

Magical Lagoon (11-4) prevailed under Shane Foley for Jessica Harrington from Sea Silk Road in the Ribblesdale Stakes.