Super stayer Stradivarius back for more and zestful as ever

Stradivarius is set to start his campaign in the £175,000 Paddy Power Yorkshire Cup at York next month before attempting to scoop a record-equalling fourth Gold Cup at Royal Ascot.

Bjorn Nielsen, his owner, outlined hopes and dreams for his magnificent stayer to racingtv.com at Newmarket on Wednesday, suggesting his eight-year-old, trained by John and Thady Gosden, was in typically good heart for what will be his seventh season in training as an entire.

“I saw him the other day and he’s very much the same as ever,” Nielsen said. “He walks around the place as enthusiastic as ever, he’s like a three-year-old.

“It’s been a great training performance to keep his head in the game and concentrating. I’ve said this will be his final season but we will see how he goes. To see how he walks, moves and still gets on his back legs is great. All the zest is still absolutely like it was.”

Stradivarius has already had a remarkable career, winning 19 of his 32 races and earning more than £5 million in prize-money and bonuses.

His place in the pantheon of staying greats is assured, whatever he does this year or beyond. In addition to three Gold Cup triumphs, he has won a record-breaking four Goodwood Cups, three Lonsdale Cups, two Doncaster Cups, two Yorkshire Cups, a British Champions Long Distance Cup, a Sagaro Stakes, plus a Queen’s Vase. Not to mention the hearts of racing fans.

Last year, he won the Sagaro Stakes at Ascot on his comeback but this time around he is set to start at York, as he did in 2018 and 2019.

“I think they are leaning towards the Yorkshire Cup, rather than the Sagaro,” Nielsen said. “Part of John’s [Gosden] thinking is that’s a month before the Gold Cup, whereas it’s two months from the Sagaro.

“People were saying last year that he’s not as good as he was but he won three of his six races and things didn’t always go his way when he was beaten. I’m not saying he is as good as he was because, of course, horses decline, but he’s astonishing and the signs are good.

“When you own a horse, you normally go to the races and you hope they will run well, or win. With him, it’s the opposite, it’s upside down. You go there and hope he doesn’t get beat. You never usually go racing thinking like that.”

Trueshan has taken Stradivarius’s mantle of champion stayer, finishing ahead of him the three occasions they have met.

The Alan King-trained six-year-old, who made a winning return at Nottingham this month, is a top-priced 3-1 for the Gold Cup, with Stradivarius a general 8-1.

“He’s a formidable opponent but I’d love to meet him on good ground somewhere,” Nielsen said. “I don’t want to run against him in a bog, and he’s not going to run anywhere on the firm. On good ground, that would be a level playing field.

“For me, Trueshan is more of an old-school grinder of a stayer, whereas Stradivarius sits there and quickens. On good ground I’d be hopeful we could sit on his tail and then go past.”

Nielsen bred Stradivarius, a son of Sea The Stars, with the Derby in mind. The Epsom Classic remans an ambition for him with his Magisterial, also trained by the Gosdens and a maiden winner at Haydock in October, entered in the premier Classic. The Frankel colt is a 50-1 chance.

“He’s got to go and run in his trial, or wherever they send him. Like so many horses at this time of the year, nobody knows [how good they may be],” Nielsen said. “I’m in tge same position as a lot of other people: is he a real good horse? We simply don’t know, but the dream is alive.”