The Group I Ascot Gold Cup (2m4f) was the highlight on the Royal Ascot program overnight with victory again going to blue-blooded Sea the Stars stallion Stradivarius, who turned the race into a procession.
Trained by John Gosden and ridden by Frankie Dettori, Stradivarius thrashed his rivals to win by 10 lengths in a virtuoso performance rated one of the most impressive in the long history of the race.
Left in his wake were Nayef Road (Galileo) and 2018 Melbourne Cup winner Cross Counter.
“That was tremendous. I was worried about the rain but Stradivarius really surprised me as he went through them like a hot knife through butter. I had everybody covered at the four-furlong marker,” said Frankie Dettori.
“There's always that scary moment when you get to the furlong marker and wonder whether he'll pick up but he did. He stretched away by ten and it was amazing. I'm so proud of the horse and he'll go down as one of the great stayers like Yeats and Sagaro. Maybe we'll try and go for four next year!”
Bred and raced by Bjorn Nielsen, six year-old Stradivarius has 15 wins and five placings from 22 starts with this victory his sixth Group I.
He is a half-brother to Champion German 3YO Persian Storm and is from stakes-placed Private Life, who comes from the family of Melbourne Cup winner Protectionist and Arc winner Peintre Celebre.
The family has also had success in Australia through Group III winner Lunar Rise and stakes-winner Crafty.
Stradivarius is one of 13 Group I winners for Galileo’s half-brother Sea the Stars.
