Gold Cup (Group 1)

THERE was plenty of talk before the Gold Cup, including from his trainer John Gosden, as to whether Stradivarius would be vulnerable on ground which had turned soft before the big race, but the truth is that conditions merely emphasised the gulf in class between the now legendary winner and the motley bunch assembled against him.

For years we’ve been told that Stradivarius only does enough and that is how he has been ridden to most of his wins, but there was no stopping in front when Frankie Dettori asked the question this time, and Stradivarius powered away from long-time leader Nayef Road (Mark Johnston/Ryan Moore) to register a 10-length winning margin. Cross Counter, fourth last year, finished third this time, but beaten over 16 lengths further than he had been 12 months previously.

Technician had been well supported to make a real race of it with Stradivarius but he looked well held even before the straight. His effort is easily excused as his trainer Martyn Meade reported that he suffered tendon injury during the race, but unfortunately, that means he has had to be retired. That is bad luck for connections, as Technician had the looked like a top class stayer when taking the Prix Royal-Oak at Paris Longchamp last season.

This was a devastating performance from the 4/5 favourite, and his provisional Timeform rating of 130 (a computer-generated figure in need of ratification) represents a career-best effort, largely because for once he was given full rein to stretch his legs and produce the kind of performance he’s looked capable of his whole life.

It’s great to see an entire showing such enthusiasm at the age of six, and any concern that he might be losing a bit of his lustre with age has been thrown out the window. The other worry was whether a particularly hard race in pursuit of Ghaiyyath in the Coronation Cup might have left a mark of its own, but that was also answered firmly in the negative.

To win three Gold Cups is to enter the realms of racing folklore, and the style of this third win puts Stradivarius firmly on a par with the great Sagaro, and while the Yeats fan club won’t have their poster boy besmirched in any way, it must be said that this performance, enacted before empty stands, will still go down as the most visually impressive of Gold Cup wins, and a race which must be seen to be appreciated fully.

Many of the comments which followed his win in 2019 addressed the great character and personality of Stradivarius, and those remain valid, but here he has crowned his achievement with the spectacular display by which all the truly great racehorses are remembered.

This was not just a rout, but a perfect outpouring of joie de vivre from a horse whose zest for life shines like a beacon every time he appears in public.

It is just a shame that an adoring public could not be there to witness the exhilarating zenith of his racecourse achievements.