By Tom Frary
He may have come up short against Order of St George (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) when third in the G2 Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup, but Bjorn Nielsen's Stradivarius (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) will be back in his face again at Royal Ascot after a facile win in Friday's G2 Mansionbet Yorkshire Cup. Always travelling easily reserved off the honest pace, the chestnut came to the fore without Frankie Dettori having to move in midstraight and when finally committed passing two out went to the line like a 4-6 favourite with three lengths to spare over old rival Desert Skyline (Ire) (Tamayuz {GB}). Trainer John Gosden is looking forward to a rematch with Ballydoyle's 2016 G1 Gold Cup hero in the June 21 staying feature of the Royal meeting now. “We'll go for the Gold Cup, but it's uncharted territory,” he said. “He switches off and the freshness is out of him, so if you relax and switch off you've got a chance. I promise you I can't practice over two and a half miles at home, so the answer to if he will stay we'll find out when they turn for home.”
This time last year, Stradivarius was finding a way to get beaten in a Chester handicap for horses rated up to 90 but that tight left-handed circuit played against him and he was far more at home going the other way round at Ascot's galloping track next time. Duking it out with Count Octave (GB) (Frankel {GB}) to annexe the first renewal of the revised and upgraded G2 Queen's Vase at the Royal meeting, he then did the unthinkable by halting the winning run of the Gold Cup hero Big Orange (GB) (Duke of Marmalade {Ire}) in the G2 Goodwood Cup at the beginning of August. That was his first try over two miles and he had formidable momentum at the line, so when it came to a proper test of speed in the Leger over this trip he was found wanting slightly despite showing his customary enthusiasm as some classy colts set down to fight out the oldest Classic. On Champions Day, the rain turned the ground against him, but he still strained every sinew to get to Torcedor (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) before Order of St George managed it a bit quicker. This race is part of the new WH Stayers' Million and Stradivarius now joins the G3 Sagaro S. scorer Torcedor in challenging for the money at Royal Ascot. Victory there would mean the homebred would only need to conquer Goodwood again and take the G2 Lonsdale Cup to bag the million.
“We've now got the big hurdle, that was the little hurdle,” Gosden added as he pondered the next step. “I haven't been working him like that, so I'm very pleased as all he has done is bridle work. Mr Nielsen has always been a passionate believer in breeding middle-distance staying horses and I said he was in danger of going out of fashion! Its important for people like him to have success.” Desert Skyline's trainer David Elsworth is not giving up hope of reversing the form with the comprehensive winner at Royal Ascot and said. “He's a tough individual, but he wants to go faster and further. We'll leave him until the Gold Cup now, and he should have a good chance.”
Stradivarius is the last known foal out of the useful Private Life (Fr) (Bering {GB}), who his breeder purchased for just 70,000gns at the 2006 Tattersalls December Mares Sale. Her four black-type performers also include the G3 Bavarian Classic and G3 Furstenberg-Rennen-winning German highweight Persian Storm (Ger) (Monsun {Ger}), who is connected to another compatriot of greater standing in Protectionist (Ger) (Monsun {Ger}). He is the hero of the G1 Melbourne Cup, acquiring Australian champion stayer status in the process to add to his domestic best in the G1 Grosser Preis von Berlin, and is one of the most accomplished descendants of the King George and Prix de Diane heroine Pawneese (Ire). This Wildenstein dynasty spans more than 40 years of achievement, with the GSW and GISP Provins (Chief's Crown) and G3 Tetrarch S.-winning sire Saratogan (El Gran Senor) other notables.
Friday, York, Britain
MANSIONBET YORKSHIRE CUP-G2, £165,000, York, 5-18, 4yo/up, 13f 188yT, 2:55.15, g/f.
1–STRADIVARIUS (IRE), 127, c, 4, 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. £93,573. Lifetime Record: G1SW-Eng, 10-5-1-2, $817,652. *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–Desert Skyline (Ire), 130, g, 4, Tamayuz (GB)–Diamond Tango (Fr), by Acatenango (Ger). (€40,000 Ylg '15 GOFORB). O-C Benham, D Whitford, L Quinn & K Quinn; B-Tinnakill Bloodstock & Cannings (IRE); T-David Elsworth. £35,475.
3–Call To Mind (GB), 127, c, 4, Galileo (Ire)–Memory (Ire), by Danehill Dancer (Ire). O/B-The Queen (GB); T-William Haggas. £17,754.
Margins: 3, NK, 3HF. Odds: 0.65, 10.00, 10.00.
Also Ran: Max Dynamite (Fr), Count Octave (GB), Clever Cookie (GB), Wicklow Brave (GB), On To Victory (GB). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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