John & Thady Gosden sent out four winners at Royal Ascot last year, their first season in partnership, and John issued updates on some of their biggest hopes for the week, including Stradivarius as he goes for a fourth win in the G1 Gold Cup.
Stradivarius failed to emulate Yeats' record 12 months ago, coming home fourth behind Subjectivist after a troubled run, but the 8-year-old made a successful return in the G2 Yorkshire Cup last month.
John Gosden said: “It is one thing training an 8-year-old gelding and another thing training an 8-year-old full horse, but Stradivarius is happy and well and I hope the weather holds up for him.
“He runs how he runs and knows how to race. He doesn't like being left with too much to do but on the other hand if you get there too soon, that is not a good idea either. He is an old pro now.
“I think he is still up to running a huge race in the Gold Cup, as long as the ground is not soft or heavy. He was probably in his prime at five or six, but at eight you have to face the fact it could be like a boxer getting back in the ring too late in their career. But he seems up for it at the moment and the plan was always to run here and then Goodwood, so we are sticking to that.”
Lord North is set to be the stable's sole representative in the G1 Prince Of Wales's Stakes, with Mishriff likely to wait for the G1 Coral-Eclipse at Sandown Park in early July.
Gosden said: “Lord North has won the race before but we are very frightened of the Japanese horse [Shahryar] and another very good horse trained here in Newmarket called Bay Bridge.
“Our fella is a grand horse and I think he needs to be ridden a little differently compared to the Tattersalls Gold Cup, when he sat too close to the pace.
“I think it is going to be a fabulous race, as it should be. I like Bay Bridge – he has always been a lovely horse and, to me, he could be better than the rest.”
Reach For The Moon will bid to give Her Majesty The Queen a 25th Royal Ascot win in the G3 Hampton Court Stakes, having finished second on his return in the Listed Heron Stakes at Sandown Park last month.
Gosden said: “We are thinking of the mile and a quarter option for Reach For The Moon rather than the King Edward VII Stakes.
“He has pleased us in his work since Sandown – he has gone nicely – and we are very happy with him.
“It would be amazing to give Her Majesty a winner and we hope he goes there with a nice chance.”
Of his other potential runners, Gosden said: “Inspiral will go in the Coronation Stakes, as could Grand Dame.
“Inspiral is coming to herself now. It has taken a long time but I think we are beginning to see the filly of last year. Hopefully, she can put in a big performance.
“We are all looking at the one filly [Homeless Songs] who dotted up in the Irish 1,000 Guineas. She looked very smart.
“It is great when you have all the Guineas winners turning up. It is like the grand finale and you find out who the best is.
“The Oaks and Ribblesdale are tight enough time wise, that's for sure, but Emily Upjohn could run. It is a very important race and I have won it before with fillies who have run in the Oaks.
“If she doesn't run here, you are then waiting until the end of July for a couple of options. She has been eating well, looking well and had a canter this morning. We will see how she is and make the decision late.
“I am not sure where Francesco Clemente goes. He is in the King Edward VII Stakes and we will take a look at that but no decision has been made.
“We have some nice 2-year-olds, including Far Shot who won at Yarmouth yesterday – he will go for the Windsor Castle. Then the filly who nicely won at Goodwood [Fully Wet] will go for the Albany. I think we have some possibilities there.”
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