Stradivarius on song

FRANKIE DETTORI gave a virtuoso display on Stradivarius yesterday, guiding him to victory in the Ascot Gold Cup. It was a poignant success for Dettori, who had missed the winning ride on Big Orange in last year’s race due to an arm injury. After his customary flying dismount in the winner’s enclosure, racing’s greatest showman could hardly contain himself. “It was mental,” he said after mopping sweat from his brow. “It was thrilling to win a Gold Cup in front of that crowd. They came to see a great race – and that is what they got.” Dettori asked everything from pony-sized Stardivarius and he was rewarded for his efforts when the colt stretched out his head to hold off the late attack from Christophe Soumillion and Vazirabad.

Torcedor clung on for third place with Order Of St George, the first runner to come under pressure, finishing fourth.

Dettori added: “For a brief moment, I thought I was in trouble after I had Ryan Moore on Order Of St George beat. I saw the grey head of Vazirabad and it did worry me, but my horse is brave as a lion.”

It was Dettori’s 60th Royal Ascot victory and his sixth success in the Gold Cup, but it was a first for winning trainer John Gosden.

“What a finish!” said Gosden. “Luckily he stuck his head out and went away. It was a stunningly good race.

“We will have to now try for the £1million bonus if he wins the Goodwood Cup.”

Aidan O’Brien and Moore could not offer any excuses for the below-par performance of Order Of St George, but earlier teamed up to land a 25-1 double.

Hunting Horn came good in the Hampton Court Stakes, making it 50 Royal Ascot winners for Moore.

Amd further success came with Magic Wand in the Ribblesdale Stakes.

But yesterday it was Dettori who wowed the Royal Ascot crowd.