3 minute read

Of all the stars gracing Royal Ascot's five-day spectacle few if any are anticipated to shine brighter than Stradivarius as he quests for a third consecutive victory in Thursday's (18 June) G1 Gold Cup, that historic contest over the stamina-sapping 3991m of the famous Berkshire track.

And, of course, his rider Frankie Dettori is something of a Royal Ascot legend himself having – up to this week's meeting – garnered 67 Royal Ascot wins, the first being 30 years ago. 

Dettori has ridden Stradivarius  to nine of his 14 career wins and the Italian does not spare his compliments.

"His heart is as big as his body," he declared. "All I have to do is get him amongst horses and he does the rest - what a horse! For a stayer, this lad has everything, he loves getting into a fight and he's just a brilliant horse to ride."

The six-year-old is trained by John Gosden, Britain's paramount trainer. The 69-year-old handler's Newmarket stable has been in fantastic form since racing resumed in Britain a few weeks ago and he is pleased with Stradivarius, whom he describes as being quite a character.

"He's quite full of himself, like his jockey!  He likes shouting and saying hello to all the other horses. He has a sense of humour and is tremendous fun to train," Gosden said.

With the delay of racing in Britain and the revised programme, Stradivarius reappeared in this month's G1 Coronation Cup, over just 2400m and switched from Epsom to Newmarket. He finished five lengths third to middle-distance specialists and previous G1 winners Ghaiyyath  and Anthony Van Dyck . 

"I didn't want to run him in the Gold Cup without a prep race and we are very aware that 13 days until Ascot is a tight turnaround but we were thrilled with his run," Gosden said.

Those looking to oppose Stradivarius will point to the fact that the horse – who at one stage won 10 consecutive races – has lost his air of invincibility, remembering that he was also just edged out by Kew Gardens on rain-soaked ground in the G2 British Champions Long Distance Cup at Ascot last October.

Perhaps age is catching up with the champion stayer. In which case rivals like the 2018 Melbourne Cup winner Cross Counter (the mount of William Buick), Technician (Oisin Murphy) who ended his 2019 campaign with a stylish victory in Longchamp's G1 Prix Royal-Oak or Nayef Road (Ryan Moore), who won the G3 Sagaro Stakes at Newcastle earlier this month, won't hesitate to take advantage.