Glorious Goodwood got underway in the UK last night with the world’s best turf stayer Stradivarius taking out the Group I Goodwood Cup (2m) and blue-blooded Coolmore owned colt Battleground landing the Group II Veuve Clicquot Vintage Stakes (7f).
2020 might have been a tough year for most people, but not Stradivarius, who followed up his Ascot Gold Cup win last month with another success in the Goodwood Cup, becoming the first horse in history to win the race four times.
With regular partner Frankie Dettori in the saddle, the John Gosden trained six year-old stallion overcame a chequered run to score a length win, his 16th victory, seven of them in Group I races.
“What a horse. Giving away that weight, everybody rode to beat me and Stradivarius still gets out and wins. What can you say, he's an amazing horse,” said Frankie Dettori.
Bred and raced by Bjorn Nielsen, Stradivarius is a half-brother by Sea the Stars 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.
Trainer, jockey and owner Bjorn Nielsen are now looking to bring their champion stayer back in trip for a crack at the Arc de Triomphe where he will face stable mate Enable in October.
"Mr Nielsen and I have discussed it quite a lot," said Gosden. "He has no problem travelling and quickening over a mile and a half and he will be freshening up now and going for the Prix Foy. If he runs a good race there he will go for the Arc."
Coolmore have had a lot of great racemares by Galileo, but up with the best of them is Arc winner Found, who is the dam of two year-old War Front colt Battleground.
Trained by Aidan O’Brien and ridden by Ryan Moore, Battleground won the Listed Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot at his second start and backed it up to win the Group II Vintage Stakes bya couple of lengths.
Connections will no doubt head next to the Group I National Stakes (7f) at the Curragh on September 13.
