Stradivarius to face six rivals in Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup
Stradivarius will face six rivals when he seeks to make history and win a fourth successive Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup on Tuesday.
The two-mile Goodwood showpiece, which forms part of the QIPCO British Champions Series, was first run in 1812 but only Double Trigger (1995, 1997 and 1998) and Stradivarius have won it on three occasions. The latter now has the opportunity to raise the bar higher just 72 hours after his stablemate, Enable, became the first horse to win three editions of the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth QIPCO stakes at Ascot.
Stradivarius faces an intriguing new rival in the shape of Santiago, who won the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby on his latest start and, as a three-year-old, receives 15lb.
Stradivarius finished third to Ghaiyyath in the Hurworth Bloodstock Coronation Cup on his return at Newmarket last month, when dropping to a mile and a half, and then looked better than ever when winning a third Gold Cup by ten lengths on rain-softened ground at Royal Ascot. The six-year-old is seeking a remarkable fourteenth pattern-race triumph on Tuesday, a dozen of them gained in races that fall under the QIPCO British Champions Series umbrella.
Reflecting on his runs this year, Gosden said: “I was forced to run him in the Coronation Cup [because of the fixture reshuffling], when he was caught out by fitness rather than speed behind Ghaiyyath, who broke the track record. Somebody told me we equalled the track record in third with Anthony Van Dyck [the 2018 Investec Derby winner] close with us. He has the ability to be a mile and a half horse but he met a horse who had won in Dubai and who was in top form.
“At Ascot, he seemed to handle the soft ground well. It surprised me because he has quite small feet and a quick, easy action. Did the race have its normal depth? Probably not, but he showed great style and quickened well.”
The bookmakers make Stradivarius hot favourite but Gosden is wary of the threat that Santiago presents in receipt of so much weight. “When you put the lead on those saddles and you’re going two miles with it, it’s a bundle of weight. I personally think it’s the greatest challenge probably of his life.”
Santiago had won the Queen’s Vase on his return at Royal Ascot only eight days before scooping the Irish Derby. Aidan O’Brien, his trainer, responsible for two-time Goodwood Cup winner Yeats, hopes to run him in the William Hill St Leger later this season.
O’Brien said: “We always thought that the Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup is a race that would suit him. We’ve always viewed him as a Cup horse for next year and that two miles would be well within his grasp as a three-year-old.
“He stayed the mile and six very well [in the Queen’s Vase] at Ascot and then we went to the Irish Derby at the Curragh, where you have to get the mile and a half very well. He’s a very exciting horse who is easy to train. We think we will learn a lot about him [at the Qatar Goodwood Festival] and that the horse will learn a lot about himself. If everything goes well he will go from here straight to the St Leger.”
Mark Johnston, the trainer of Double Trigger, will be represented by Nayef Road, who won the Qatar Gordon Stakes at the Qatar Goodwood Festival last year before finishing third in the St Leger. The Galileo colt landed the Betway Sagaro Stakes on his return this year before chasing home Stradivarius in the Gold Cup last month.
Who Dares Wins was also in action at the Royal Meeting, where he won the Queen Alexandra Stakes. At 8, the Alan King-trained gelding would be the oldest winner since Cavalryman, who was the same age, in 2014.
Eagles By Day was having his first start for David O’Meara when landing the John Smith's Silver Cup Stakes at York this month, while Spanish Mission - third to Nayef Road in the Gordon Stakes 12 months ago – beat all bar Dashing Willoughby in the Coral Henry II Stakes at Sandown this month.
The field is completed by Euchen Glen, winner of the John Smith’s Cup in 2018.
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