JOE’S FAN CLUB
Veteran jockey stars on Subjectivist in Gold Cup as Stradivarius flounders
SUBJECTIVIST gate-crashed the party that was expected to be a celebration for Stradivarius when taking the Ascot Gold Cup.
With the thunderstorms failing to arrive, the stage was set perfectly for Stradivarius to emulate Yeats by becoming only the second horse to capture four Gold Cups.
In contrast to Joe Fanning, the partner of Subjectivist, who had his foot hard on the accelerator, Frankie Dettori was ambling at the rear of the pack.
Approaching the final bend Dettori found himself snookered behind a wall of horses, notably Princess Zoe and Joseph Sheridan, and by the time there was a gap it was too late.
Subjectivist ran on to win by five lengths ahead of Princess Zoe, who snatched second place from Spanish Mission, with Stradivarius back in fourth place.
Entering the winners’ enclosure, the scene was not the expected flying Dettori dismount, but one of all the jockeys leaving the changing room to cheer the popular Fanning.
Winning trainer Mark Johnston, adding to his previous success in the marathon contest with Double Trigger in 1995 and Royal Rebel in 2001 and 2002, summed up the feelings of the majority at Ascot when he said: “It’s a sad day for Stradivarius. I know what it feels like when a champion goes under, but it had to happen one day.
“Everybody talks about Steve Cauthen as a great front-running jockey, but I don’t think there’s anybody better than Joe.”
Fanning, 50, registering his most notable victory, said: “Before the home bend, I was able to get breathers into him, and I thought it would take a very good one to get by him.” Unlike Fanning, there was no hero’s reception for Dettori who said: “I ran into a pocket turning for home.When you get stopped in a two-andhalf-mile race, you never get going again.
“I’d love to have had another shot at it.”
Unfortunately for Dettori, this is unlikely as Stradivarius is expected to be retired to stud at the end of the season.