Tattersalls Gold Cup Review: Los Angeles Prevails in epic battle

Los Angeles marked himself down as one of the toughest and most exciting horses in training as he won the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh for Aidan O'Brien and Ryan Moore.

The 2024 Irish Derby winner had to dig into his reserves to fend off old foe Anmaat from the Owen Burrows team but, after being headed inside the final furlong, the Camelot colt did just that and set himself up for an exciting summer.

Anmaat lays down the gauntlet

Anmaat had taken the measure of Los Angeles in the Champion Stakes at Ascot back in the autumn, though the latter could point to that race coming hot on the heels of the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and at the end of a busy three-year-old season as mitigation.

The odds suggested the 9/4 favourite would have few problems avenging that defeat as he re-engaged with the Shadwell-owned 8/1 chance Anmaat on home soil this time.

Ryan Moore bagged the running rail and kicked for home from the two-furlong marker, but Anmaat ranged up on his outside and put his nose in front inside the final furlong.

With Kalpana under pressure behind and last year's winner White Birch stuck behind a wall of horses, it boiled down to this pair.

Anmaat seemingly had the answers but neither he nor Jim Crowley could have anticipated Los Angeles gamely battling back on their inside to get a half-length verdict. It was a performance of sheer guts and not one that was lost on connections.

"He's a good, hardy, tough horse and he's at his best when the pace is on. The second horse came to him, a very high-class horse, and the pace was solid," said O'Brien.

"I'd say Ryan was waiting for someone to come to him as he felt he had plenty for when they did come."

Arc the long term plan

Going back for another tilt at the Arc in Paris in the autumn is the long term plan for Los Angeles after he made it 3-3 around the Curragh. Moore believes he's only going to get better.

"That was the best he has been and it was a proper horse race, there was no hiding place," he said.

"The second horse is proven at the top level and he put it up to me, but my fellow found plenty. He's a Camelot and they do tend to get better as they get older."

The Prince Of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot and possibly the King George back there in July are potentially midsummer stepping stones.

If he does turn up at Ascot next month, runner-up Anmaat could well be waiting for him and a possible third tussle.

"It was always our worry he was going to just need the run in a race of that quality. He backed up his Champion Stakes win and just got tired in the last half-furlong," said Burrows.

"Unless it's very fast, it's all systems go for the Prince of Wales's.

"I spoke to Ryan Moore afterwards and he said Los Angeles is a very good horse. I respect him massively, but he'd had a run and we'd go into the race very hopeful of reversing the form."

White Birch the one that got away

White Birch won the Tattersalls Gold Cup in 2024 and he moved like a horse ready to put up a stern defence in this race.

Colin Keane chose to follow the Oisin Murphy-ridden Kalpana through on the rail, effectively putting his fate in the lap of the gods, and it took an eternity before they saw daylight to come and make their challenge.

In the end, they were beaten less than two lengths into fourth and connections of the Joseph Murphy-trained Ulysses colt will be left to ponder what might have been.