Atzeni to the fore at Goodwood

Andrea Atzeni grabbed the headlines with an incredible 8,344-1 four-timer aboard Expert Eye, Breton Rock, Stradivarius and Shenanigans on the opening day of Glorious Goodwood.

Stradivarius was the undoubted highlight, as John Gosden’s young upstart denied the Michael Bell-trained Big Orange an unprecedented hattrick of victories in the Qatar Goodwood Cup. Stradivarius got the better of the front-running Big Orange by a length and three-quarters to become the first three-year-old winner since Lucky Moon in 1990.

Gosden has won the St Leger four times and all roads lead to Doncaster once more, with the 6-1 winner quoted at 5-1 with William Hill.

Expert Eye (7-4 favourite) looked a bit special in the Qatar Vintage Stakes, as the Sir Michael Stoute-trained juvenile spreadeagled the opposi- tion to win by four and a half lengths from Zaman.

Atzeni then brought Breton Rock from last to first to produce a 50-1 upset in the Qatar Lennox Stakes as he got a dream run on the outside to score by half a length from Home Of The Brave.

After scooping the three big prizes, Atzeni also had the last laugh when scoring on the Roger Varian-trained Shenanigans (15-2) in the Smarter Bets With Matchbook Betting Exchange Fillies’ Handicap.