Sea the Stars's Stradivarius Battles to Long Distance Cup Triumph

   Having earned a £1-million bonanza for connections in York's Aug. 24 G2 Lonsdale Cup last time, Bjorn Nielsen's Stradivarius (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) was sent to the well once more and concluded a perfect 2018 with victory in Saturday's G2 Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup at Ascot. Settled third along the fence for most of the stamina-sapping test, the even-money favourite benefitted from Frankie Dettori's guile when sneaking up the inside of the pacesetting Flag of Honour (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) off the home turn and kept on relentlessly under a drive once seizing control soon after to gamely deny Thomas Hobson (GB) (Halling) a passing opportunity. Officials did not call an enquiry, but gave a cursory glance to the end proceedings before confirming a 1 1/2-length verdict with Sir Erec (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) one length adrift in third. The homebred chestnut has enjoyed a banner campaign and annexed York's May 18 G2 Yorkshire Cup, Royal Ascot's June 21 Gold Cup, Glorious Goodwood's July 31 Goodwood Cup and the bonus-sealing success in the Lonsdale last time, becoming the first Gold Cup hero to go through the same season unbeaten since Pardallo (Fr) (Pardal {Fr}) in 1968. “He saw that glimpse on the bend, he dived for it and Ryan [Moore] tried to shut it, but he was too late,” said John Gosden. “It was a very clever ride and he would have been put back in his box if he'd tried to come round them. He's a great horse, a fabulous horse, who didn't like that ground, but what a clever ride to take that one opportunity. We committed sooner than we wanted on ground he didn't like, but it was jockeyship at its highest level. He benefitted from the break [since his last race] and I wouldn't have come here unless he was in great order. [Owner-breeder] Bjorn [Nielsen] and I had a long talk after I walked the course and it was touch and go whether or not we ran him.” Looking ahead to a similar campaign next year, Britain's champion trainer added, “He won't run until May, when he will reappear in the Sagaro here at Ascot or the Yorkshire Cup, and then we will try to win the Weatherbys Hamilton Million [bonus series] once again.” Reflecting on the most cunning of rides, Dettori explained, “I had to shield him and then I was in the lap of the gods trying to get a run, but when Flag of Honour didn't turn very well [into the straight] I thought I might not get another chance to get out of that pocket. For him, I went far too soon, but I had to take the commitment. In fairness, he answered every call and I wouldn't have done it if I didn't have that much horse. I had so much horse that I was able to take the gap in a split second before Ryan [Moore] realised. He's been a model of consistency and deserved to be crowned champion stayer. What a season it has been for him. It isn't his ideal ground, but he's been so fresh at home after two months off and you can't beat a day like this at Ascot. We rolled the dice and I'm glad it came off. He is all heart.”
   Trainer Willie Mullins, who saddled the exacta in last week's £500,000 Cesarewitch H. at Newmarket, once again raided the prizemoney pot of another notable marathon after Thomas Hobson's patient approach yielded dividends in the straight, running on from rear to give Stradivarius a late fright. “Oisin [Murphy] gave him a super ride and stuck to his plan which nearly came off,” commented Mullins. “It did appear to me to be a slow-run race, but we had one plan and stuck to it. We were hoping to be in Melbourne [for the Melbourne Cup], but we have all next year to look forward to with this horse in these type of races. I doubt he'll run over hurdles again and we'll probably put him away until next year. We maybe need to avoid Stradivarius and not just next season, but forever!”
   Stradivarius is the best performer for the dual stakes-placed Private Life (Fr) (Bering {GB}) and he is kin to three black-type performers headed by G3 Furstenberg-Rennen and G3 Bavarian Classic-winning German highweight Persian Storm (Ger) (Monsun {Ger}). His second dam Poughkeepsie (Ire) (Sadler's Wells), who is also the ancestress of G1 Melbourne Cup and G1 Grosser Preis von Berlin-winning sire Protectionist (Ger) (Monsun {Ger}), is a daughter of MG1SW British Horse of the Year and dual champion Pawneese (Ire) (Carvin II), who in turn is a half-sister to Petroleuse (Ire) (Habitat), herself the granddam of MG1SW sire Peintre Celebre (Nureyev).

Saturday, Ascot, Britain
QIPCO BRITISH CHAMPIONS LONG DISTANCE CUP-G2, £530,000, Ascot, 10-20, 3yo/up, 15f 209yT, 3:37.51, sf.
1–STRADIVARIUS (IRE), 133, c, 4, by Sea the Stars (Ire)
1st Dam: Private Life (Fr) (MSP-Fr), by Bering (GB)
2nd Dam: Poughkeepsie (Ire), by Sadler's Wells
3rd Dam: Pawneese (Ire), by Carvin II
(330,000gns RNA Ylg '15 TATOCT). O/B-Bjorn Nielsen (IRE); T-John Gosden; J-Lanfranco Dettori. £300,563. Lifetime Record: MG1SW-Eng, 14-9-1-2, $2,119,791. *1/2 to Persian Storm (Ger) (Monsun {Ger}), Hwt. 3yo-Ger at 9.5-11f & MGSW-Ger, $121,198; Rembrandt Van Rijn (Ire) (Peintre Celebre), GSP-Eng, $167,081; and Magical Eve (Ger) (Oratorio {Ire}), SP-SAf. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Thomas Hobson (GB), 133, g, 8, Halling–La Spezia (Ire), by Danehill Dancer (Ire). (35,000gns Ylg '11 TAOC; £240,000 3yo '13 DONNOV). O-Mrs S Ricci; B-Mount Coote Stud & M H Dixon (GB); T-Willie Mullins. £113,950.
3–Sir Erec (Ire), 125, c, 3, Camelot (GB)">Camelot (GB)–Quiritis (GB), by Galileo (Ire). (170,000gns Wlg '15 TATFOA). O-Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier & Michael Tabor; B-GCE Farm Ltd (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. £57,028.
Margins: 1HF, 1, HD. Odds: 1.00, 14.00, 5.00.
Also Ran: Flag of Honour (Ire), Desert Skyline (Ire), Cypress Creek (Ire). Scratched: Mount Mariah (GB). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.