Stradivarius to Warm Up for Gold Cup in Sagaro Stakes
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Photo: Edward Whitaker/Racing Post
Stradivarius wins the 2020 Gold Cup at Ascot Racecourse
Three-time Ascot Gold Cup (G1) winner Stradivarius will kickstart his bid to emulate the mighty Yeats and bag a fourth successive stayers' crown when he starts his season at the Berkshire track next week.
The 7-year-old is set to run in the Longines Sagaro Stakes (G3) April 28, his first appearance in the two-mile contest won by subsequent Gold Cup winners Colour Vision and Estimate in 2012 and 2013. Despite the delayed start to the flat season last year, the Sagaro was saved and staged on the all-weather at Newcastle, although the Stradivarius camp opted to stay closer to home to run in the rearranged Hurworth Bloodstock Coronation Cup (G1) at Newmarket.
Stradivarius ran over a mile and a half on three of his six appearances in 2020, a campaign highlighted by a 10-length victory to give him a third Gold Cup, and a fourth triumph in the Goodwood Cup (G1).
After that, the Bjorn Nielsen-owned chestnut finished second in the Qatar Prix Foy (G2) and seventh in the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (G1), before disappointing on unsuitable soft ground in the QIPCO British Champions Long Distance Cup (G2) at Ascot in October.
John Gosden, who trains Stradivarius in partnership with his son Thady, said: "We're looking at the Sagaro Stakes at Ascot on April 28 for Stradivarius. We didn't fancy taking him all the way up to Newcastle for the race last year so he was forced to run in the Coronation Cup. He ran well to finish third that day considering he was taking on Ghaiyyath and Anthony Van Dyck ."
He added: "He has wintered well and Frankie (Dettori) was happy with him when he rode him in work last week. The idea is to try to go back to Ascot for the Gold Cup, which is shaping up to be a very good race this year."
Palace Pier wins the 2020 St. James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot
More immediately, Palace Pier is to reappear earlier than first planned for the Gosdens in the bet365 Mile (G2) at Sandown April 23.
The son of Kingman began his 3-year-old campaign in handicap company at Newcastle before progressing to land back-to-back group 1s in the St. James's Palace Stakes (G1) at Royal Ascot and Prix du Haras de Fresnay-Le-Buffard Jacques le Marois (G1) at Deauville last summer.
Palace Pier, who escapes a penalty for Friday's contest, ran well in defeat when losing his unbeaten record in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (G1) at Ascot in October, when he finished third behind The Revenant .
Gosden added: "We were thinking of going straight to the Lockinge (G1) with Palace Pier, but he's been so fresh in himself that we're running him at Sandown first. It looks a nice place to get him started."
The Clarehaven team have had a great start to the domestic season but have been even more productive overseas, with Mishriff winning the $20 million Saudi Cup and $5 million Longines Dubai Sheema Classic (G1), and Lord North landing the $4 million Dubai Turf Sponsored by DP World (G1).
Gosden added: "Both horses have done very well and are now having breaks until the summer. The plan for Mishriff is to drop him back to a mile and a quarter for the group 1 Eclipse Stakes at Sandown in July, while Lord North will be heading for the group 1 Prince of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot which he won last year."