Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup Stakes (Group 1)

GOLD Cup hero Stradivarius (John Gosden/Frankie Dettori) justified odds of 4/7 in capturing a record fourth Goodwood Cup on Tuesday, beating the previous tally set by Double Trigger (1995, 1997, 1998).

Ascot runner-up Nayef Road (Mark Johnston/Andrea Atzeni) made the running once more, and was challenged by Irish Derby winner Santiago (Aidan O’Brien/Ryan Moore) entering the final quarter mile, with Stradivarius boxed in by Danny Tudhope on Eagles By Day.

Once Dettori was able to ease out from underneath that weakening rival, his mount quickened impressively, taking the lead half a furlong out and winning by a comfortable length from Nayef Road. Santiago travelled strongly, but was unable to get past the pace-setter in the sprint for home, and finished one and a quarter lengths further behind in third.

Classic winner

The winning trainer was keen to make currency of the fact that Stradivarius was conceding 15lb to a classic winner, but in truth he didn’t need to be at his best to win with Santiago not seen to best effect, and the runner-up was nine lengths closer than he had been at Ascot.

On the other hand, the most impressive thing about the winner is his ability to quicken, and that was something he was able to demonstrate in some style here.

Trainer John Gosden saluted his winner and outlined a change of plan and a possible clash of his two great champions at Longchamp in October: “I knew he was in very good order, but I think it is something like this where Frankie wanted to wait and pounce rather than get in a slogging match from three and a half, two furlongs down. Once he has gone and won, he is quite clever now and thinks he has done his job, so you can’t get there too soon as he pulls himself up like he did last year.

“The owner wants to go a different route with him now. Obviously, the Weatherby’s Hamilton was a fantastic bonus, but that bonus doesn’t exist anymore. So instead (of going for the Lonsdale Cup at York), he would like to freshen him up and go for the Prix Foy at Longchamp in September. If he runs a nice race there and handles the track, then he will run in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

“He showed enormous speed when third in the Coronation Cup. Ghaiyyath broke the track record and he was third there. This horse has got a turn of foot and I will play to those strengths. He wouldn’t work much beyond seven furlongs and sometimes over a mile and 110 yards on the round gallop.

“Let us hope Enable and Stradivarius are in top order. Frankie will have to decide what he is riding, I probably know the answer, but that will be his decision.”

Frankie Dettori said: “I thought Santiago would wind it up from three and a half out and make me work and carry that weight, but he didn’t, it turned out to be a two-furlong sprint, and if you want to sprint with Stradivarius, then you have got to be pretty good.

“Although I was boxed in for a furlong, once I got out he has just got too many gears. His greatest weapon is his turn of foot – I don’t remember a stayer with a turn of foot like his.”