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Stradivarius vs Trueshan vs Kyprios set for Ascot Gold Cup tussle

Just when you thought that Stradivarius vs Trueshan was the battle of the Ascot Gold Cup on June 16, Aidan O'Brien's Kyprios enters the fray. An intriguing long range tussle is in store.

There's a thrilling Ascot Gold Cup in store on June 16 as three talented stayers face off in the two miles, four furlong test.

John and Thady Gosden's Stradivarius has been there and done it and has lately faced a challenge from Alan King's Trueshan but now Aidan O'Brien's Kyprios has entered the fray and an epic battle is on the cards at Ascot.

Alan King had a keen eye on Stradiavarius as he won a third Yorkshire Cup at York on Friday with the Gosden's legend cut to 3-1 joint-favourite by Coral for the Ascot Gold Cup.

King decided not to run six-year-old Trueshan at York with all too little recent rain and will bide his time for acceptable conditions.

However, the plot thickened as Aidan O'Brien's Kyprios put in an eye-catching showing to take the Group 3 Saval Beg Levmoss Stakes at Leopardstown, asserting himself as a general second in the market at 4/1.

Meanwhile, King is not fazed that his Trueshan has only had one run this season, winning the Listed Further Flight Stakes at Nottingham in April.

Ideally, Trueshan would have another run before the Gold Cup on June 16 and King is considering the Sandown Henry II Stakes but, should no rain materialise, Trueshan may go straight to Royal Ascot.

King said: "Stradivarius produced a great performance - he was awesome. It was lovely to see.
"We just called it (not going to York) on Wednesday morning, as we thought by Friday the ground was going to be too quick. So, I didn't really want to send them up there and not run him.
"I'm thrilled for Stradivarius. It was a great, wonderful performance again. We will just regroup and have a quiet couple of days.
"Sandown's Henry II Stakes is a possibility a week on Thursday, but if we have to wait for Ascot, we will. This weather has got to break sooner or later, hasn't it?
"It has been so long since we had decent rain. So, we'll train him for Sandown and if that's not going to happen, we will train him for Ascot.
"It is not a major issue if he doesn't go there. I'm a bit more relaxed with it all the way through."
King was also excited by the prospect of Trueshan going up against O'Brien's Kyprios, adding "It was wonderful to see Stradivarius run so well, but Aidan's horse did awfully well as well, so it is all building up. And we're looking forward to it."

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