John Gosden hoping top stayer Stradivarius can equal the great Yeats in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot
JOHN Gosden is hoping Stradivarius can hit all the right notes at Royal Ascot.
The top-class stayer will attempt to emulate the great Yeats with a fourth Gold Cup win on Thursday.
The seven-year-old is the hot even-money favourite having made a winning return to action under Frankie Dettori at Ascot back in April.
Few horses have such long and successful careers on the Flat – especially when they are still a stallion.
And champion trainer Gosden reckons the fan favourite is still as good as ever.
OFFERS OF THE DAY
William Hill: Bet £5 Get £20: Bet £10 and get £50 in free bets + 100 Free Spins on Casino (Mobile Only) – CLAIM HERE
Paddy Power: Bet £10 Get £70 In Free Bets (£20 on first bet settlement, £10 daily for Royal Ascot) – CLAIM HERE
William Hill: 18+. Play Safe. New customers only with promo code G50. Place an initial bet with a minimum stake of £10/€10. Mobile only. Prize is five free bets worth £10/€10 each and 100 free spins to play on selected games. Terms and conditions apply. BeGambleAware.Org
Paddy Power: Bet £10 on any Horse Racing (11th – 14 June) – Get £70 in racing free bets. (£20 on bet settlement and £10 Daily for the full duration of the Royal Ascot Festival (£10 x 5 days). Only deposits via cards or Apple Pay will qualify. Free bets will be awarded after the qualifying bet has been settled. T&Cs apply. 18+ BeGambleAware.Org
He said: “It would be extraordinary if he won it again – but even more so because he’s a full horse.
“He’s not a gelding, and they seem to be able to race on a lot longer without the distractions of life.
“This boy is an absolute riot to be around – he’s very entertaining and I tend to just let him enjoy himself.
“He won nicely in his prep race for this, we left plenty to work on as the big target is this week.
Most read in Horse Racing
“Frankie has been down to ride him and he has been very happy, he gave him a nice canter and all went smoothly.
“He still loves his job and is in great form. He’s a great personality and he is a part of the family now.”
Top jock Dettori is second only to Lester Piggott in terms of success at Royal Ascot with 73 winners.
But he admitted he is feeling the pressure ahead of the Gold Cup.
Dettori said: “This year there is a lot of pressure because Yeats won four and it’s (owner) Bjorn Nielsen’s dream to equal Yeats.
“All eyes will be on him, the pressure is on, but we are going to roll the dice and go for it.”
FREE BETS GET OVER £2,000 IN SIGN UP OFFERS HERE
Commercial content notice: Taking one of the bookmaker offers featured in this article may result in a payment to The Sun. 18+. T&Cs apply. Begambleaware.org
Remember to gamble responsibly
A responsible gambler is someone who:
- Establishes time and monetary limits before playing
- Only gambles with money they can afford to lose
- Never chase their losses
- Doesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry or depressed
- Gamcare – www.gamcare.org.uk
- Gamble Aware – www.begambleaware.org