Los Angeles wins epic battle for Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh

Los Angeles showed class and guts in equal measure to win the Tattersalls Gold Cup under an inspired Ryan Moore.

It looked a warm edition of the Curragh Group 1 beforehand and the race didn’t disappoint but ultimately it was Aidan O’Brien’s 9/4 favourite who pulled out all the stops to deny 8/1 chance Anmaat.

Owen Burrows’ returning Champion Stakes winner Anmaat made a stylish move to challenge – and possibly even briefly head – the eventual winner just inside the final furlong but Los Angeles, who was race-fit following a recent success over the same course in the Mooresbridge Stakes, found again for Moore’s urgings towards the far side rail and had half a length in hand over the seven-year-old Anmaat at the line.

Kalpana (5/2) ran a creditable race in third for Andrew Balding and Juddmonte, the owners of Saturday’s Irish 2,000 Guineas winner Field Of Gold, although connections of White Birch (3/1) were no doubt left frustrated with the outcome after he could only finish fourth having been denied a clear run under Colin Keane in the home straight.

Paddy Power cut the winner to 3/1 favourite (from 5/1) for the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Moore said on Racing TV: “I thought that was the best he’s ever been.

“I thought it was a proper horse race, good ones in there. The second put it up to him. Kalpana and White Birch were right there so I think it’s a very solid race. People say he’s tough and he’s hardy but he’s pretty good as well, really good.”

O’Brien added: “We always thought he was going to progress a lot from the last day. He’s a very good horse. We ran in the Arc last year and everyone was disappointed but he got left alone in front and it wasn’t suiting him, Ryan said all he was doing was waiting so we knew in the winter the way he was going to change physically, and he did, and then we knew we needed to have a strong pace on in front of him, he’s a very tough customer but he’s a very high cruise so that’s great to get back to a mile and a quarter with him.

“The pace was strong. Wayne did a great job, he got left a little bit and then he got there and kept the race going, for everybody really, so you’re always going to see the best horse when that happens. Ryan gave him a brilliant ride. He’s a hardy, tough customer. If you come at him slow it will be very hard to get by him because he doesn’t lie down.

“The plan was that he would start here the last day, come here and then if all went well go to Ascot for the Prince of Wales and if that went well we could have a look at the King George. He could have a break and he could have an Arc prep or go straight to the Arc but plans don’t always work.”

Burrows said of his gallant runner-up: “I’m so pleased with him. He’s run a huge race and, obviously, lack of a run has just told in that last quarter of a furlong but the way he’s travelled and come through. I came here hoping that’s what we’d see, as long as he shows all his old enthusiasm, and I think he’s backed up his Champions Day run because people possibly thought it was a bit of a fluke but he’s a pretty good horse.

“We were a little bit concerned, he’s a seven-year-old now, he’s been harder to get fit as he’s got older, lack of rain at home on the grass gallops at home etc but I’m not making excuses. He was as fit as we’ve had him and it’s the start of a long year, there will be other days and I’ll look forward to taking him on again.

“If the ground is good at Royal Ascot, I think that would be our next port of call. If it comes up quick then we’ve got the Eclipse to think of as well, we’ve got a few options.”

Anmaat is a general 10/1 chance for the Coral-Eclipse.

Los Angeles wins epic battle for Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh

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