Superstar Stradivarius to Contest Sagaro Stakes

This could be the season when Stradivarius  joins Yeats as the most successful horse in Gold Cup (G1) history and he starts out on the road to a fourth win in a race he hasn't contested before: the Longines Sagaro Stakes (G3). 

The Yorkshire Cup (G2) has been the race of choice for John Gosden in two of the last three years and Stradivarius won that in 2018 and 2019, recording Racing Post Ratings of 118 and 120, respectively. On last year's seasonal reappearance, Stradivarius was beaten into third in the Hurworth Bloodstock Coronation Cup (G1) at Newmarket but still achieved an RPR of 117 over a trip short of his best.

All three of those RPRs are higher than anything else in this field has achieved at any stage of their careers, so there's no reason to think Stradivarius won't be fit enough for this return.

However, there is now a concern over whether he is as good as he was. He comes here after two disappointing runs, which include an abysmal effort over course and distance in October.

Gosden gave testing ground as an excuse but Stradivarius simply wasn't himself that day, trailing in 62 lengths behind winner Trueshan. Every champion should probably be forgiven one bad day, but this was an aberration for Stradivarius, who simply doesn't do bad days.

He has been a model of consistency throughout his career—had only once finished out of the first three since his debut in 2016 before his last two runs—so is the fact he comes into this with form figures reading 70 an indication that father time might be catching up with him?

The acid test will come back here in June, but this is no penalty kick against several classy rivals headed by Nayef Road, who has won after breaks of 193 days and 245 days on his last two seasonal reappearances, including when landing this race at Newcastle last campaign. 

Ascot Tee-Up First for Super Strad

Stradivarius has his first start in one of the more recognized staying trials on a mission to match the exploits of Yeats, who won four straight Ascot Gold Cups between 2006 and 2009.

The 7-year-old's previous route to the royal meeting had kicked off in the Yorkshire Cup in May. However, that was in the days the £1 million bonus was on the cards for winning all four of the big summer staying events, a venture that was discontinued after Stradivarius bagged the loot in both 2018 and 2019.

After the retirement of Enable  and Ghaiyyath , Stradivarius is the senior flag-bearer for Newmarket this year, and he was able to stretch his legs on grass gallops such as the Limekilns in early April before the dry weather deemed them unusable.

Frankie Dettori has partnered the seven-time group 1 winner in his last two pieces of work on the all-weather surfaces, and he is ready for his first start under the new training duo of John and Thady Gosden.

The latter said: "Stradivarius still seems to have the same energy as the last five seasons he's been in training, and it has always been the plan to come here with him first-time this year.

"The race looks to have a bit of depth to it, and it will be nice to get him back on grass as he's been confined to the all-weather surfaces at home lately as it's been so dry. He likes summer ground which it looks like he's going to get; he likes Ascot and we're hopeful of a nice comeback run."