Frankie 4-For-4 As Stradivarius Takes the Gold Cup

At this rate, Stradivarius (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) is going to remembered not only as a stayer supreme, but also as the horse that broke Weatherbys Hamilton as he canters towards another £1-million bonus via a G1 Gold Cup for the ages on Thursday.

By the time he was heading to post on Bjorn Nielsen's illustrious chestnut, Frankie Dettori already had the whole of Royal Ascot in his hands after his masterclasses in the Norfolk, Hampton Court and Ribblesdale. Over the course of one of the most beautiful 4 1/2-minute periods it is possible to witness in horse racing, all fears of the predicted suffering the even-money favourite would undergo just melted away. With the pre-eminent rider of his generation in this kind of mood, Stradivarius was in total unison and he simply followed the pace set by Dee Ex Bee (GB) (Farhh {GB}), pounced on him and the 66-1 shot Master of Reality (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) approaching the furlong pole and eased to a comfortable length victory. Dee Ex Bee was a nose ahead of Master of Reality, but the winner's draw was all-encompassing at the end of a race that will be remembered for all time.

“What an amazing horse he is and I love him dearly,” Frankie said. “I'm only nervous because the people care so much for this horse. It's unbelievable–a little bit of deja vu from '96.”

Frankie's “magnificent six” failed to come off in the next two races, but this fabulous four will stay long in the memories of all present. It is a measure of the Italian's influence that his ride aboard Turgenev (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the Britannia H. which followed was sent off the 7-2 favourite having been available at at least 12-1 in the morning. When he is in the zone like this, he is able to transmit that magic to his mounts and Stradivarius needs little encouragement to outpoint his rivals and further inflate his own ego. This was his first real test on soft ground since finishing third as a 3-year-old in the 2017 G2 QIPCO British Champions Long Distance Cup, as his success in the latest renewal of that prize was gained against inferior runners.

After the rain had changed the landscape of much of Tuesday and Wednesday's races, there was cause for pessimism from even his greatest supporters, but the sun duly emerged as Stradivarius graced Ascot on Thursday morning. As the moment of truth neared and Frankie grew in stature, the skies stayed light and all the familiar swagger was there as the chestnut slotted in behind Dee Ex Bee and Master of Reality with his 2017 G1 St Leger conqueror Capri (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) on his outer. The one spell of concern came when Thomas Hobson (GB) (Halling) went up his inner passing the half-mile marker, but Frankie was intent on staying trapped for as long as possible to keep his partner keen. Once Capri dropped off, the open space was available and he zipped by the front pair and away from them and the eye-catching G1 Melbourne Cup hero Cross Counter (GB) (Teofilo {Ire}).

“His heart is bigger than his body,” Frankie said of the winner who now stands comparison with many of this category's past luminaries. “He does not know how to lose. All I have to do is get him amongst other horses and he does the rest. I wasn't worried about the trouble in the home straight, as I just had to wait–it got tight, but when I got the split, it was all over. In many ways, when it got tight that meant that I didn't hit the front too early and I know that he has a great kick.”

Now that the Gold Cup is getting back to its once-heralded status, the import of this success was not lost on trainer John Gosden who said, “There have been some great stayers; Le Moss, Sagaro, who Francois Boutin brought over three times, and Yeats as well. They are super, wonderful horses and great for the racing public because people get to know them. This little guy with his white socks and white face looks like the Milky Bar Kid should be riding him rather than a jockey, but he is a remarkable athlete and a charming horse to be around. He has a beautiful mind on him.

“It was noted in commentary that he was in a rather tricky position, but he did the clever thing because he was drawn two and decided to save ground all the way and wait for a gap,” Gosden added. “It was a long wait, but the horse is very classy. This is not Stradivarius' favoured ground–he is a much better horse on top of the ground–but he has just shown that he can still quicken on that kind of ground. Full marks to a remarkable horse and a mercurial and remarkable jockey.”

Bjorn Nielsen was refusing to count another Weatherbys Hamilton Stayers' Million, despite this smooth success bringing a repeat of the big money grab a very realistic outcome.

“I don't have the bonus in mind, because these races are so hard to win,” he said. “People think you can just get these horses out and go and win the [G1] Goodwood Cup, but remember last year he lost a shoe in this race and was lame afterwards. That can take two or three weeks to get over and you can miss a race and the bonus. If he's fine and comes out of this race okay, then I'd like to take him to Goodwood [July 30].

“I'd like to keep Stradivarius going for as long as his mind and body want to do it,” Nielsen added. “I'm not thinking Yeats, or even Sagaro, Le Moss and Ardross–they were such legends. You can never say he was in their league until his career has finished and you can look back and assess him. He's a very good horse, but they were legends and this is a different era. I'd love him to go on forever, but I know I'll be going through the valleys again one day when I'll be coming back here with no runners.”

Pedigree Notes:

Stradivarius is unfortunately the last living foal out of the dual listed-placed Private Life (Fr) (Bering), whose three other black-type performers include the G3 Furstenberg-Rennen and G3 Bavarian Classic winner Persian Storm (Ger) (Monsun {Ger}). This is a family with an existing star stayer in the G1 Melbourne Cup hero and young sire Protectionist (Ger) (Monsun {Ger}), while the faster elements concern the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and G1 Prix du Jockey Club hero and leading sire Peintre Celebre (Nureyev) and Stradivarius's third dam Pawneese (Ire) (Carvin II), the Epsom Oaks, Prix de Diane and King George VI & Queen Elizabeth S.-winning champion.

Thursday, Royal Ascot, Britain
GOLD CUP-G1, £500,000, Royal Ascot, 6-20, 4yo/up, 19f 210yT, 4:30.88, sf.
1–STRADIVARIUS (IRE), 128, h, 5, by Sea the Stars (Ire)
1st Dam: Private Life (Fr) (MSP-Fr), by Bering (GB)
2nd Dam: Poughkeepsie (Ire), by Sadler's Wells
3rd Dam: Pawneese (Ire), by Carvin II
(330,000gns RNA Ylg '15 TATOCT). O/B-Bjorn Nielsen (IRE); T-John Gosden; J-Lanfranco Dettori. £283,550. Lifetime Record: 16-11-1-2, $2,597,933. *1/2 to Persian Storm (Ger) (Monsun {Ger}), Hwt. 3yo-Ger at 9.5-11f & MGSW-Ger, $121,198; Rembrandt Van Rijn (Ire) (Peintre Celebre), GSP-Eng, $167,081; and Magical Eve (Ger) (Oratorio {Ire}), SP-SAf. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Dee Ex Bee (GB), 127, c, 4, Farhh (GB)–Dubai Sunrise, by Seeking the Gold. O-Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum; B-Godolphin (GB); T-Mark Johnston. £107,500.
3–Master of Reality (Ire), 127, g, 4, Frankel (GB)">Frankel (GB)–L'Ancresse (Ire), by Darshaan (GB). (€200,000 Ylg '16 ARAUG). O-Lloyd J Williams Syndicate; B-March Thoroughbreds (IRE); T-Joseph O'Brien. £53,800.
Margins: 1, NO, 3/4. Odds: 1.00, 3.50, 66.00.
Also Ran: Cross Counter (GB), Flag of Honour (Ire), Capri (Ire), Raymond Tusk (Ire), Called To The Bar (Ire), Magic Circle (Ire), Thomas Hobson (GB), Cypress Creek (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.