Another million reasons for John Gosden to be excited about Stradivarius

Watch how the Weatherbys Hamilton Stayers' Million was won last year - and read how Stradivarius will have to make history to repeat the feat this summer.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

John Gosden will tread the same path with Stradivarius in his attempt to win the Weatherbys Hamilton Stayers’ Million for the second successive season, after earmarking the Matchbook Yorkshire Cup as his first port of call.

The son of Sea The Stars claimed the Group Two prize at York in May, ahead of recording victories in the Gold Cup, Qatar Goodwood Cup and the Weatherbys Hamilton Lonsdale Cup back at the Knavesmire in August to scoop the seven-figure bonus.

After making it five wins from as many starts last season in the Long Distance Cup at Ascot on Champions Day, the diminutive five-year-old was reported to be in good shape ahead of his seasonal return by Gosden on Monday at a WH Stayers’ Million event at Clarehaven Stables in Newmarket.

He showed his freshness when circling a statue of Golden Horn at the yard.

Several times, when asked to pose for photographers, he reared up on two legs. Frankie Dettori, his regular rider, scurried for cover each time - perhaps conscious his wife, Catherine, would not want a second injured Dettori in the house.

Frankie's son, Rocco, suffered a broken leg playing rugby on Sunday.

Gosden said of Stradivarius: “He is in great order and has just started cantering and building up his preparation, and all being well we go to the Yorkshire Cup. We’ve just been doing the usual canters on Warren Hill. He has had a great winter.

“He has done great. He is not a big horse, but he has thickened out and strengthened. He is a grand horse to train. He is most untypical of a stayer in that he is quite a neat horse.”

Reflecting on his heroics last season, Gosden take special pride in Stradivarius' Gold Cup triumph.

"The defining moment was the Ascot Gold Cup. He really got down low and dug deep," Gosden, who tuns 68 on Saturday, said. “He (Frankie Dettori) timed it to perfection, particularly going into unknown territory.

“He stayed the two and a half miles last season, which is something you never know if they are going to do until you race over it, as you can’t practice that kind of thing."

When the Stayers' Millon was announced last season, many scoffed and dismissed it is a gimmick, believing the bar had been set too high and that it would be impossible for any horse to achieve the feat.

Twelve months later and the mood is very different. Stradivarius is just 11-2 with Paddy Power to claim the bonus again, although he will have to rewrite the history books to achieve the feat because no horse has won the Goodwood Cup three years in succession.

In addition, the only two-time winner of the Yorkshire has been Adross (1981-82), while Yeats was last back-to-back winer of the Gold Cup. Since 1980, there have also been only two back-to-back winners of the Lonsdale Cup.

Bjorn Nielsen bred Stradivarius with the Derby in mind, although playing God with equine genetics is rarely straightforward and the owner can have few grumbles with the way things have turned out.

Reflecting on Stradivarius' early days, Gosden said: “He ran well up here (Rowley Mile) behind Cracksman to finish fourth (as a two-year-old), then we sent him to Newcastle and he saw the mile out well and I thought he would be a great handicapper.

“He went to Beverley and saw the mile and a quarter out well, then me and Frankie managed to get him beat at Chester.

“He then did incredibly well at Royal Ascot (Queen’s Vase in 2017) and it was a lovely ride from the other great Sardinian (Andrea Atzeni), who also did well on him in the Goodwood Cup.”

Gosden could also aim Weekender at the Stayers' Million, which this year will take in eight preliminary races – up from four last season – starting this weekend in the Dubai Gold Cup at Meydan, which has been included alongside races in France, Ireland and Germany.

He added: “It is great they have opened it right up. Obviously you have the Dubai Gold Cup this Saturday and a race in Germany, France and Ireland.

“With a bit of luck you will have seven or eight going to the Ascot Gold Cup all eligible for the bonus.

“Weekender might well go for it. He was going to Dubai, but he got a cut that wasn’t healing correctly on his leg so I didn’t want to travel him.

“A race like the Sagaro (Stakes, at Ascot) would be a very likely spot for him.”

March 30: Dubai Gold Cup sponsored by Al Tayer Motors (Dubai)

April 28: Vintage Crop Stakes (Navan)

May 1: Longines Sagaro Stakes (Ascot)

May 9: Boodles Diamond Ormonde Stakes (Chester)

May 12: Comer Group International Oleander-Rennen (Berlin-Hoppegarten)

May 17: Matchbook Yorkshire Cup (York)

May 23: Matchbook Henry II Stakes (Sandown Park)

May 26: Prix Vicomtesse Vigier (ParisLongchamp)

And then win these three:

June 20: Gold Cup at Royal Ascot

July 30: Qatar Goodwood Cup at Goodwood

August 23: Weatherbys Hamilton Lonsdale Cup at York

As in 2018, the £1 million will be split between the connections of the successful horse, with 70 per cent awarded to the owner and 30 per cent divided equally between the trainer, stable staff, breeder and jockey.