John Gosden: Stradivarius is up to running a massive race in Ascot Gold Cup

Stradivarius will make his penultimate racecourse appearance at Royal Ascot next Thursday and he could take the roof off if he is able to emulate Yeats by winning the Gold Cup for a fourth time.

The eight-year-old kicked off his farewell tour at York last month when landing his third Yorkshire Cup and is 3-1 generally to add to his three successive Gold Cup victories recorded between 2018 and 2020.

Stradivarius, who is trained by John and Thady Gosden, has won 20 times, including seven at the top level, and has earned more than £3.3 million in prize-money since making his first start in 2016.

Stradivarius looked as good as ever on the Limekilns in his latest piece of work under Rab Havlin on Wednesday and looked none the worse for his exertions during a media morning on Thursday.

Rab Havlin and Stradivarius on Wednesday morning

John Gosden said: "Stradivarius is happy and well, and we're just hoping the weather holds and he can run on something called good ground rather than soft or heavy, which isn’t his scene at all.”

On his consistency and running style, Gosden added: "He doesn’t want to be given a massive amount to do in his races these days but on the other hand he doesn’t want to get there too soon, either.

"He’s an old pro now. He had bad luck with the ground last year and a couple of tactical issues but if he gets his ground, which it looks like he may do, he’s up to running a massive race in the Gold Cup."

On his 2022 programme, the trainer said: "It was always the plan to run at Ascot and then Goodwood, and we’re sticking to that as long as he’s with us. Beyond that, he'll tell us if he’s had enough. He was probably in his prime at five or maybe six but eight is another thing."

Stradivarius will soon begin his second career as a stallion, although which stud he will stand at has yet to be determined, and Gosden added: "Enable was with us until she was six and he’s still here at eight, which is unusual as most Flat horses move on at three and four. He’s become part of the place but I do think he deserves another form of life that he might really enjoy."

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