SHOWDOWN!
After Frankie drives Strad to awesome foursome, now for Enable clash at Arc
STRADiVARiUS is on a collision course with illustrious stablemate Enable in the Prix de L’Arc de Triomphe after his record fourth victory in the Group One Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup.
Trainer John Gosden will use the Prix Foy on Arc trials day on September 13 as a stepping stone for Stradivarius ahead of the clash of the six-year-old stablemates in Europe’s biggest mile-and-a-half race at Longchamp in October.
The drop back in distance for Stradivarius has been the long-term ambition for his owner-breeder Bjorn Nielsen but, with it being unthinkable that Frankie Dettori will desert his beloved three-time King George Vi & Queen Elizabeth Stakes winner Enable, he will no doubt have to find a new jockey.
However, his ambitious plan will add extra spice to Enable’s bid to become the first three-time Arc winner.
Gosden said: ‘Enable is the best mile-and-a-half horse i have trained and Stradivarius is the best stayer. He will give her a race.’
The speed Stradivarius possesses makes him a viable mileand-a-half threat to most horses and it is what has helped the horse, who last month won his third Ascot Gold Cup to become one of the great stayers. He needed all that pace yesterday in the two-mile marathon run at a dawdle which left Dettori looking for room a furlong and a half out before hitting the front in the last 100 yards with a withering run which took the 4-7 favourite a length clear of Nayef Road.
A length and a quarter further back was Aidan O’Brien’s irish Derby winner Santiago.
Gosden had reckoned giving him 15lb weight for age was one of the biggest tasks in the career of Stradivarius.
He need not have worried, although Dettori admitted he was surprised Ryan Moore on Santiago had not tried to make more of the weight concession.
Dettori added: ‘Santiago was the one i feared most. i thought he would try to make the weight difference count and kick early. But it turned out to be a two-furlong sprint and if you want to sprint with Stradivarius you have to be pretty good. i was boxed in but once i got out he had too many gears.’