CUP DOUBLE FOR SUPER STRAD
STRADIVARIUS was cut to 6-4 favourite to defend his Gold Cup crown at Royal Ascot next month after battling to victory at York yesterday.
Last year, John Gosden’s five-year-old landed the Weatherbys Hamilton Stayers’ Million by scoring on the Knavesmire before going on to lift the Gold Cup, the Goodwood Cup and York’s Lonsdale Cup.
And the seven-figure pot is once again on his agenda after Stradivarius and Frankie Dettori beat Aidan O’Brien’s Southern France to land the Yorkshire Cup for the second year running.
“He’s a fighter and he’s got me out of trouble so many times,” beamed Dettori. “He just put his head down and went.”
Gosden added: “He’s not the polished article yet. We hope to have that at
Royal Ascot.” LAURENS is fancied to show the boys a clean pair of heels in the Group 1 Lockinge Stakes (3.40, ITV) at Newbury today.
Four contenders among the 14-strong field – Accidental Agent, Billesdon Brook, Romanised and Without Parole – have managed one success at the highest level.
But Laurens has captured more Group 1 prizes than that quartet put together, with no fewer than five triumphs in the top tier on an impressive CV. Having landed the Fillies’ Mile at Newmarket as a two-year-old, the daughter of Siyouni – trained by Karl Burke (right) – lifted the Prix Saint-Alary at Longchamp, Chantilly’s Prix de Diane, the Matron Stakes at Leopardstown and the Sun Chariot Stakes back over the Rowley Mile in 2018. Although she could finish only eighth when taking on male opposition in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes