By Tom Frary
He was pushed a bit more this time, but Stradivarius (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) met all expectations to prevail in another tussle with Torcedor (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) in Tuesday's G1 Qatar Goodwood Cup and stay on course to scoop the inaugural WH Stayers' Million. Sent off the 4-5 favourite to record back-to-back wins in the race that launched him as a sophomore 12 months ago, Bjorn Nielsen's G1 Ascot Gold Cup hero raced in a share of third early with Andrea Atzeni content to allow Torcedor some rope. Momentarily in trouble as that rival upped the tempo two furlongs from home, the chestnut managed to get to him a furlong later and assert for what appeared to be a hard-fought half-length verdict as Idaho (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) trailed six lengths behind in third. “Last year, he was quite narrow and a bit weak and I always thought he was going to get better,” commented Atzeni, who gave a different opinion to the onlookers. “I was trying to keep him fresh for Frankie [Dettori] in three week's time [for the G2 Lonsdale Cup] and I don't think he had a hard race today–he won cosily. I didn't recognise him in the paddock at York earlier in the year, as he looked much stronger and he's the best stayer around on what he's done so far. He travelled good into the race, but when the leader kicked he nicked two lengths out of me. He rode a very clever race from the front [on Torcedor], but my horse needs something to aim at and he can quicken.” An otherwise perfect result was marred by the breaking-down of The Queen's Call To Mind (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) in the straight and he was reportedly treated for an injury to a tendon in his right fore.
Becoming the first since Proverb (GB) in 1974 to win this race as a three and four-year-old, Stradivarius continues to make his presence felt in the hard-to-reach halls of fame within this hallowed division. There is a reason why the public take to the staying elite such as Le Moss (Ire), Ardross (Ire), Further Flight (GB), Double Trigger (Ire), Persian Punch (Ire), Kayf Tara (GB), Yeats (Ire) and Big Orange (GB) (Duke of Marmalade {Ire}) and it is linked to the timeless essence of these events. Still as demanding now as they ever were, the races run over extreme trips attract only those who can take the repeated demands and the excess mileage on the limbs. Stradivarius is still very much in a fledgling stage for a stayer, but his internal chemistry is perfect for this arena and he has made a steep ascent in a short space of time while still developing physically. His form over 14 furlongs when third in Doncaster's G1 St Leger in September and successful in the May 18 G2 Yorkshire Cup suggests he could make his presence felt in the Arc much as his predecessors Ardross and Order of St George (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) have, but for now connections have to finish off the task of securing the £1million bonus with more of the same in York's Aug. 24 G2 Lonsdale Cup.
Trainer John Gosden was full of admiration for the winner, affectionately nicknamed “Trigger” at home after Roy Rogers's famous steed. “It was a tremendous race and they're two really brave horses with the Ascot Gold Cup form standing up,” he said. “He's a beautifully-balanced and neat horse who has improved a lot from three to four and he's getting a bit better with each run. The Lonsdale Cup would be the obvious choice and we'll have to do everything we can to try to win it. We'll see how the horse is, there are three-and-a-bit weeks, which should hopefully be fine, and [Atzeni] was conscious of not giving him a hard race in the last part, he was already thinking ahead. He's the most charming horse to be around and a lovely ride.” Torcedor's trainer Jessie Harrington said of the runner-up, “He has really improved all year. We've only got half a length to make up now. He made the winner work very hard. Colm [O'Donoghue] said he was beautifully-balanced all the way round. We might go to York. He has got the [G1] Irish St Leger [at The Curragh Sept. 16] as well. Whether we wait for that or go to York, I don't know. Then you have got the [G1] Prix Cadran [at ParisLongchamp Oct. 6] or back to Ascot for the two-mile race [the Oct. 20 G2 Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup]. He really does battle and he deserves to get a group 1 somewhere along the line. We are very near now.”
Stradivarius is the last foal out of the dual listed-placed Private Life (Fr) (Bering {GB}), whose four black-type performers include the G3 Bavarian Classic and G3 Furstenberg-Rennen-winning German highweight Persian Storm (Ger) (Monsun {Ger}). A granddaughter of the 1976 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S., Epsom Oaks and Prix de Diane heroine Pawneese (Ire), she is related to the G1 Melbourne Cup and G1 Grosser Preis von Berlin hero Protectionist (Ger) (Monsun {Ger}) from the distinguished Wildenstein family of the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and G1 Prix du Jockey Club hero and leading sire Peintre Celebre (Nureyev).
Tuesday, Goodwood, Britain
QATAR GOODWOOD CUP S.-G1, £500,000, Goodwood, 7-31, 3yo/up, 16fT, 3:30.56, gd.
1–STRADIVARIUS (IRE), 135, 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-Andrea Atzeni. £283,550. Lifetime Record: 12-7-1-2, $1,563,558. *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–Torcedor (Ire), 135, g, 6, Fastnet Rock (Aus)–Magnolia Lane (Ire), by Sadler's Wells. (€70,000 Ylg '13 ARAUG). O-Te Akau Torcedor (Mngr: David Ellis); B-Barronstown Stud (IRE); T-Jessica Harrington. £107,500.
3–Idaho (Ire), 135, h, 5, Galileo (Ire)–Hveger (Aus), by Danehill. (750,000gns Ylg '14 TATOCT). O-Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Susan Magnier; B-Hveger Syndicate (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. £53,800.
Margins: HF, 6, 1 3/4. Odds: 0.80, 3.30, 8.00.
Also Ran: Dal Harraild (GB), St Michel (GB), Desert Skyline (Ire). DNF: Call To Mind (GB). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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