Big Upset in the Gold Cup

Breaking his maiden at the second time of asking over seven furlongs on Lingfield's Polytrack in July 2013, Trip To Paris went through the handicap ranks at three and managed to win one on his fifth attempt over 12 furlongs here last July. It was not until Apr. 11 of this year that he managed to get his head back in front at that trip returning to Lingfield's all-weather, but that began a sequence of wins that included a two-miler at Ripon a fortnight later and the prestigious May 6 Chester Cup. By overcoming a troubled run in that competitive and valuable affair staged over an extended 18 furlongs, he was able to earn enough to be added to this race when the time came but first he took in Sandown's G3 Henry II S. over an extended two-mile trip at Sandown May 28. Seen as unlucky there when denied a clear run off a steady pace, he was 1 3/4 lengths behind Vent de Force (GB) (Hurricane Run {Ire}) at the line and Ed Dunlop was duly persuaded by the owners to pitch him in to this feature. Traveling comfortably on the fast surface under a waiting ride, he was able to cut the corner entering the home straight, where Pat Smullen seemed poised to take the race by storm on Forgotten Rules. Where that rival failed to fully lengthen on the slick ground, Trip To Paris was able to fully flow and Graham Lee's decision to take the inside route proved the right one with Ryan Moore locked up behind the favorite and the French raider Bathyrhon (Ger) (Monsun {Ger}). For his trainer, the win represented a landmark moment in his career as he emulated the success of his famed father John Dunlop with Ragstone (GB) in 1974. “My parents have the Gold Cup on the dining room at home and it's been there since 1974,” he said. “All credit goes to the owners, as they bullied me into supplementing and it came off. He's improved a lot, as he ran [sixth] in the King George V H. [at this meeting] last year with blinkers on. We gelded him and that was the making of him. He has a turn of foot for a stayer, as he's won over a mile and a half. He's a very good horse now, having won a Chester Cup and a Gold Cup and that is a pretty big deal.” Of whether future plans include a tilt at the G1 Melbourne Cup he has nearly won with Red Cadeaux (GB) (Cadeaux Genereux {GB}), he added, “He'll probably be badly handicapped now. Various Australians said I shouldn't be running him in case he went up in the handicap, but he can quicken and he goes in any ground. It will be considered.”

Thursday, Royal Ascot, Britain
GOLD CUP-G1, £405,315, ASC, 6-18, 4yo/up, 20fT, 4:22.61, g/f.
1–#@&TRIP TO PARIS (IRE), 126, g, 4, by Champs Elysees (GB)
1st Dam: La Grande Zoa (Ire), by Fantastic Light
2nd Dam: Majestic Sister (Ire), by Last Tycoon (Ire)
3rd Dam: Royal Sister II (Ire), by Claude (Ity)
(37,000gns Wlg '11 TA11; 35,000gns RNA Ylg '12 TAOCT; 20,000gns 2yo '13 TATHIT). O-La Grange Partnership; B-Paul & Tom Monaghan (IRE); T-Ed Dunlop; J-Graham Lee. £229,854. Lifetime Record: 16-6-2-0, $580,801. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Kingfisher (Ire), 126, c, 4, Galileo (Ire)–Mystical Lady (Ire), by Halling. O-Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor & Anne Marie O'Brien; B-Whisperview Trading Ltd (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. £87,143.
3–Forgotten Rules (Ire), 128, g, 5, Nayef–Utterly Heaven (Ire), by Danehill. O/B-Moyglare Stud Farm Ltd (IRE); T-Dermot Weld. £43,612.
Margins: 1 1/4, NK, HF. Odds: 12.00, 5.00, 2.50.
Also Ran: Simenon (Ire), Bathyrhon (Ger), Scotland (Ger), Mizzou (Ire), Forever Now (GB), Havana Beat (Ire), Windshear (GB), Vent de Force (GB), Tac de Boistron (Fr). Click for the Racing Post result, the brisnet.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.