Cassie Tully assesses the pedigrees of the Coronation Cup contenders

It was over three years ago that Stradivarius, the multi-millionaire staying superstar, last started at the shorter distance of a mile-and-a half.

In fact, that was his only outing over the trip and he was beaten by half-a-length in a Chester handicap before his ten-race winning, Group One rich, streak at two miles plus began.

He returns to the Classic trip on Friday for a mouthwatering renewal of the Hurworth Bloodstock Coronation Cup against six middle-distance regulars at the revised location of Newmarket.

Seeking his sixth Group One win, Stradivarius would also become the sixth Group One winner at a mile-and-a half for his sire Sea The Stars, who has made a habit of producing classy middle-distance performers such as Taghrooda, Sea Of Class, Sea The Moon and Star Catcher.

Sea The Stars himself won Group Ones ranging from a mile in the Guineas to the Derby distance at Epsom and in the Arc, while Stradivarius’ damsire Bering made his name in the ten-furlong French Derby and the majority of his female family performed up to 12 furlongs.

Although John Gosden's star's primary target would appear to be completing a hat trick of Ascot Gold Cup wins in two weeks’ time, there seems no reason on pedigree at least, why he won't cope with dropping back in trip over Friday.

It's half-a-mile shorter than the trip over which he's won two Yorksire, Goodwood and Lonsdale Cups but the limit of his class is unknown and who are we to question the genius of Gosden?

But he's in a deep Coronation Cup against rivals who have earned their right to be here with top Group One performances under their belts already.

Ghaiyyath, the market leader and Godolphin flagbearer, is a son of Dubawi and out of Galileo’s first ever Group One winner Nightime.

Relatively lightly-raced for a five year old, it was September last year that he won his Group One in Germany, beating the German Derby winner Laccario by 14 lengths in the process. He disappointed in the Arc afterwards after doing too much too early, but appears to perform at his best when fresh. He has won each start after a break, including a Group Three in Meydan already this year.

The Coronation Cup, like so many of the top middle-distance contests in Europe, is a race that has largely been dominated by Aidan O’Brien and Sadler’s Wells over the last 20 years.

The Ballydoyle maestro is the winning-most trainer in this contest and is seeking a ninth victory on Friday. He sends two over this year, a son and grandson of Galileo.

Anthony Van Dyck, winner of the Investec Derby in 2019, has not won a race since although has put in some top performances including placings in the Irish Derby, Irish Champion Stakes and Breeders’ Cup Turf.

The son of Galileo is definitely carrying on the middle-distance genes from his father and Sadler’s Wells, as his female family is all speed. His dam, Believe N Succeed, won a Group Three over five-and-a-half furlongs in Australia and is by sprinting sire Exceed And Excel. She has also produced the New Zealand champion sprinter Bounding.

From the same stable, but with an additional Japanese owner in Masaaki Matsushima now with the Coolmore partners, is Broome. A son of Galileo’s Derby-winning son Australia, he was only a half-length short of success at Epsom himself behind Anthony Van Dyck last year. He hasn't been seen since his run in the Irish Derby afterwards.

Last but far from least is last year’s victor back to defend his title. Defoe, unfortunately, a gelding since 2018, is free of Northern Dancer and Sadler’s Wells in his first four generations. He is by Dalakhani and was always consistently placed at the top level until finally breaking through in this race last year.

In that win, he beat Ballydoyle’s Kew Gardens, a dual Group One winner and the horse who ended Stradivarius’s winning streak at Ascot in October 2019.

Will one of these middle-distance veterans cement themselves as a leading older horse for the year ahead or will the staying celebrity brush them aside?

With the Guineas themselves just around the corner, it's a battle sure to get your blood pumping for the exciting weekend ahead.

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