At first glance, the admirable Quickthorn (GB), by Newsells Park Stud's perpetually under-appreciated Nathaniel (Ire), had compiled a fairly successful record as a member of the staying ranks throughout his five-year career prior to his Goodwood heroics this August. However, the Lady Blyth homebred elevated his game to another level when taking the G1 Goodwood Cup this summer, and it was the manner in which he did it, that made this the performance of the year for me.

The Hughie Morrison trainee first came to my attention in August of 2022, when winning the G2 Lonsdale Cup S. at York as, from my home in America, that was my first opportunity to stream one of his races live. Teaming up with regular pilot Tom Marquand, Quickthorn delivered a front-end processional performance and I marked him down as one of my horses to follow. Granted, Quickthorn's proclivity for excelling when out on his lonesome was not exactly a state secret, as he'd earlier won the G3 Henry II S. and G2 Prix Maurice de Nieuil in the spring and summer of 2022 utilising similar tactics.

He put me in mind of noted U.S.-based frontrunner Presious Passion (Royal Anthem), a two-time winner of the GI United Nations S. at Monmouth Park in New Jersey (2008/2009), who gave Conduit (Ire) (Dalakhani {Ire}) a scare in the 2009 GI Breeders' Cup Turf when just failing to last.

Needless to say, Quickthorn, a son of three-time winner Daffydowndilly (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) and one of six winners from six foals of racing age from his dam, is well suited to his profession as a quality stayer. He has proven time and again that he not only has the stamina, but also a truly devastating cruising speed, if allowed to employ it. Indeed, immediately prior to the Goodwood Cup, the gelding had landed a listed race at York, giving the impression that he was rounding back into his late-summer form of the season before.

So, it was at first with bemusement and then with incredulous glee that I saw the 6-year-old bowling along alone on the lead over the Goodwood turf, a chilly Marquand doing his best statue impression (video). The margin between Quickthorn and his rivals increased with every stride the farther they travelled from the starting stalls.

Surely, with all the experienced and feted jockeys signed on–Dettori, Moore, Buick and Murphy to name a few–they wouldn't let Marquand and Quickthorn just gallop? The rest of the 11-horse field was loaded with quality horses, with no less than three Group 1 winners in attendance–Eldar Eldarov (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), Courage Mon Ami (GB) (Frankel {GB}), and Broome (Ire) (Australia {GB}). Most of the remainder had at least one group title to their names, befitting the sheer class of one of the preeminent staying challenges of the British Flat season.

Despite the quality of the competition, it was worth remembering that Quickthorn, a proven stayer, would not fold once the real running began. The multiple group winner belonged in a field of this calibre, and had developed a reputation of being an especially tough nut to crack when given his ideal set up. And they gave it to him–a critical miscalculation–on a silver platter.

Running through my mind as the race unfolded was the simple fact that he shouldn't be able to get away with this in a Group 1 race. These were some of the best stayers and jockeys in the world. They knew his game and they knew it before the stalls ever opened. Surely at least one of the rival jockeys would send their mount to apply some pressure?

By the time the final quarter-mile was reached and the multi-pronged chasing pack was mounting a fruitless challenge a short time later, I was hard pressed to remember when was the last time I'd enjoyed watching a race to this extent. And it was this enjoyment, of watching a horse and rider in their undisputed element, that made the race linger in my mind long after Quickthorn and Marquand continued their relentless gallop all the way to the winning post. Nigh uncatchable. 

A tip of the cap to Quickthorn, who was later nominated for the 2023 Cartier Stayer award, and to his connections. It was truly a delight and privilege to watch.

Goodwood Cup (G1)
3.220 m – 500.000 GBP – for 3yo+
Goodwood

Quickthorn (GB)
(6G Nathaniel- Daffydowndilly,by Oasis Dream)
J :Tom Marquand
T :Hughie Morrison
O :Lady Blyth
Emily Dickinson
Coltranepic.twitter.com/TbMqJZpW2K

— (@WorldRacing1) August 1, 2023

The post TDN Horses of the Year: Quickthorn  appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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“They have both come out of Ascot really well, I was in there looking at them last week and I was absolutely delighted with how they look,” said Richard Brown, advisor to Wathnan Racing. 

“Gregory is a big horse who is only going to get better with age and we won't over-race him this year. We will probably only run him twice more. His main aim is the Leger and he may well take in the Goodwood Cup on the way because the three-year-old weight allowance is really significant.

“At the moment we're training both Courage Mon Ami and Gregory for the race, but only one of them will go. We're favouring Gregory because of the weight allowance and we want to keep the miles low on Courage Mon Ami.”

The Anthony Oppenheimer-bred Courage Mon Ami, who, like Gregory, remains unbeaten, has both Longchamp and a return to Ascot on the cards in the autumn after a trip to Yorkshire. 

Brown added, “Courage Mon Ami is a four-year-old and we have seen in the past that those horses who get to the top of the staying division can go back and win at Ascot again, so his main aim already is next year's Gold Cup.

“He will probably run twice more this year with obvious back-end targets being Ascot or the [Prix du] Cadran and on the way we can go to York [for the Lonsdale Cup] or the Doncaster Cup if we don't go to Goodwood.”

Brown noted that the aim is for the pair of stayers, two of nine horses  currently in training for Wathnan Racing, along with G1 Falmouth S runner-up Remarquee (GB) (Kingman {GB}), to remain apart from as long as possible. 

He said, “We will be guided John and his team and where they want to go. We're favouring Gregory at the moment for Goodwood, but they are both going to be trained for it in case Gregory couldn't get there. Then Courage Mon Ami can drop into his spot.

“The St Leger is Gregory's number one target and then we can worry about what we do next year.

“If we are in the fortunate position that they are both fit, sound, healthy and training well then that is when we might not be able to keep them separate. But at this stage we will try to keep them apart.”

The post Gregory to Goodwood with Leger as Main Aim appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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By his owner and breeder Bjorn Nielsen he is referred to as 'The Strad', talked of as one would a favourite son or best friend. The 8-year-old stallion has earned his place in Nielsen's heart, just as he has earned the wider affection of the racing public. He remains equine box office, with this season regarded by many as a prolonged farewell tour. 

The fact that the longed-for fourth victory in the Gold Cup did not go to plan is of course a source of frustration for those directly involved with Stradivarius, particularly as Nielsen believes that the Gosdens had him note-perfect for his return to Ascot.

“John never really gets carried away beforehand saying anything's going to win but just reading between the lines, I know John felt like he had the horse absolutely spot on for that race,” he says. 

“I think it's been a remarkable job actually, by John and his staff, of keeping this horse on the go all these years and getting him to every race. It's the one great thing about John, if you have a top horse, he'll be there on the day. You don't have to worry about him being overdone or underdone. He's surely done that with The Strad's career throughout.”

And what a career it has been: 34 races to date, seven Group 1s among his 20 wins, nine more top-three finishes, and then there's the not insignificant matter of two Stayers' Million bonuses. Unfortunate timing for the enterprising folk at Weatherbys Hamilton who launched the initiative which sounded fiendishly difficult to win, but for it starting in the year in which Stradivarius really came into his own as a 4-year-old and sailed through a magnificent 2018 season unbeaten.

“He's happy in himself and he's eating well,” reports Nielsen of his star in the aftermath of Royal Ascot. “It would seem fairly obvious that if he's sound and well he's going to go to Goodwood.”

In a sense, Goodwood was where it all began for Stradivarius in 2017. He arrived for his first attempt in Group 1 company on the back of victory in the G2 Queen's Vase, and in some respects he was the villain of the piece in the Goodwood Cup when beating another popular member of the staying ranks, Big Orange (GB) (Duke Of Marmalade {Ire}), who at that stage was looking for his third win in the race. Stradivarius effectively then took ownership of the Goodwood Cup, with four straight wins until he was withdrawn on the morning of last year's race following heavy rain.

“Even though it's an incredibly long career, it seems like almost yesterday when he won that first Goodwood Cup but it's five years ago,” Nielsen says. 

“He has so many qualities, but soundness is one of the most amazing qualities he has, in that he's never missed an engagement in his entire career, except when we pulled him out of Goodwood, because they had 60 millilitres of rain last year, the night before. Otherwise, he's never missed, never missed at all. It's hard to say that about any horse.”

He's never missed, which is one of the reasons Stradivarius will be so missed when he eventually retires. There are few top-class Flat horses who remain in training for seven seasons, fewer still entire males. Which brings us to what happens next. 

A sensible observer would agree that Stradivarius has all the attributes required to have a chance to make it as a stallion if, that is, that person prizes soundness, durability, toughness, and a killer turn of foot. And what breeder wouldn't look for those qualities for their future foals? The problem is that a section of breeders have become fixated on trying to satisfy a fickle market rather than breeding what they believe will make a racehorse. It is a situation that means we now often find the winners of the best races in the programme book – you know, those that you'd give your right arm to win: the Derby, the Gold Cup – overlooked when the time comes for a stallion career.

Nielsen, naturally, is convinced of his horse's potential for a second career as a stallion, and it is hard to argue with his reasoning.

“With racehorses, half the battle is training them and getting them to the racetrack,” he says. “[Stradivarius] has soundness and longevity and consistency in spades. If he passes that on, he's a long way to being a good stallion. Apart from his tremendous will to win, another hallmark of his is his turn of foot.

“In his case, in a hell of a lot of races going way back now, it's always been a game of, 'okay, we're going to have to keep him boxed in for as long as possible and not let him out, because once he gets out his acceleration is why he wins'. It's happened in the last three races, which is really where Frankie's got into trouble with him.”

On the theme of this year's Gold Cup, he continues, “What people don't know is what the riding instructions were. With what happened last year, twice where Frankie sat so far back and down on the rail, he was told, 'Whatever you do, don't sit on the rail and get far back on the horse this year.'

“For some reason, he went and did what he did. By the time we had a chance to get out again, it was an impossible task to make up the ground. If you look at how he was travelling when they turned in and how the winner was travelling, the winner was being ridden strongly and so were some others. The Strad was sitting there on the bridle turning in and through no fault of his own he didn't get a run. It was not a case of the others having younger legs than him. It was a case of he got no run and he was put in a position where he had no chance, unfortunately.

“But he and Frankie have had a great partnership, and Frankie has ridden more group wins on him than any other horse he has partnered. Of course I am truly grateful for the partnership they have had and I don't want recent events to overshadow that.”

Nielsen is taking a race-by-race view towards the remainder of Stradivarius's racing career. A shot at a fifth Goodwood Cup on July 26 seems likely to be his next public outing.

“There's just no other way to do it. We'll see how he goes,” he says. “Hopefully he stays sound and he turns up there. I'm sure he will, with John training him, he's going to be 100 per cent when he turns up a Goodwood.”

The decision at this stage that Nielsen can have greater control over is where, eventually, his horse will stand. Offers have already been forthcoming from studs in France and Germany.

“I feel if I ever sold him out of this country, I'd probably get hung,” he says. “He deserves his chance in England and the one thing he's not going to do is cover jumping mares. He's absolutely going to cover Flat mares only. I'm going to give him a chance to prove that he can do it with Flat mares. I really want to keep him in England. With the history and traditions of English breeding I'd like to give him the chance in England, where there's the best racing in the world, and where he's been a bit of an icon really for the last five years.”

Nielsen continues, “There are two particular studs in England who have shown a lot of interest. I'm going to wind up almost certainly owning the horse entirely myself, without anybody taking any equity in him. I'll offer incentives and I've got six, seven, eight mares that I have in mind at this stage that I'd breed to him, that I think would suit him well.”

Though stud plans, or even retirement plans, are still a way down the road, the advertising campaign has already begun, highlighting how Stradivarius's speed compares favourably to other horses in shorter races run on the same course on the same day. For example, when winning the Goodwood Cup in 2020, the stayer's last four furlongs of the two-mile contest were run in 46.50s compared to 46.80s for Space Blues (Ire) over the final four of his seven-furlong spin in the G2 Lennox S. Similarly, in good to soft ground on Champions Day in 2018, Stradivarius recorded 36.82s over the final three furlongs of two miles, while Cracksman (GB) over the same stretch during ten furlongs of the Champion S. stopped the clock at 36.58s (finishing six lengths ahead of Crystal Ocean).

“I know commercially how things have gone, and people have got into thinking that they have to breed a six-furlong mare to a six-furlong stallion to wind up with a racehorse, but it's absolutely wrong,” says Nielsen.

“Obviously it's a combination of the stallion and the mare but some of the greatest horses that have ever been bred have been by so-called stayers. The Tetrarch was the best 2-year-old who ever lived. He was seven from seven as a 2-year-old, over five and six furlongs, and was a great influence on the breed. He was by a Doncaster Cup horse out of a mare that won over 11 furlongs. Ribot was the same. He was the champion 2-year-old in Italy, won the Arc twice, the King George, and was undefeated in 16 races. He was by Tenerani who won the Goodwood Cup when it was over two miles and five furlongs.”

Nielsen also points to the influential Deep Impact (Jpn), whose 12 wins came between ten furlongs and two miles, while ruing the demise of stamina influences in Australia and America.

“We've still got our stamina in Europe. I think it's really important that we hold on to whatever stamina we have, because the rest of the world, unless they just wind up running over six furlongs, they're going to need to breed to our stallions, our mares,” he says.  

“The authorities start to cater for a slightly faster horse and start to bring down the racing distance. If you're breeding for a mile-and-a-half race, people are trying to breed the mile-and-a-quarter horse who just about stays. Then you bring it down to a mile and a quarter, everybody starts to try and breed milers to just about last out the mile and a quarter to have that necessary speed. Once the racing authorities start to bring down racing distances, we're on a slippery path.”

Stradivarius's dam, the Wildenstein-bred Private Life (Fr) (Bering {GB}) was herself a winner at a mile and ten furlongs. His third dam Pawneese (Ire) (Carvin {Fr}) won the Oaks, Prix de Diane and King George. The record of his sire Sea The Stars is familiar to most, but it is worth repeating that he was the pre-eminent colt of his generation, from a mile to a mile and a half. His trainer John Oxx recently told TDN that he has no doubt that Sea The Stars could have won the St Leger. He is also the sire of the top-rated horse currently in training, the outstanding miler Baaeed (GB). It is easy to see whence Stradivarius derives his talent, with forebears of the highest calibre over a range of middle distances. 

“I'm going to send him mile or mile-and-a-quarter mares, and I see no reason why he's not going to come up with the goods,” says his breeder. “If you do that, with the soundness, his will to win and his temperament, he only has to pass on some of those traits and he'll be a good stallion.”

Nielsen also has confidence that he will be backed by his fellow breeders.

“I think he will get a decent book, but of course he's going to have to prove it himself,” he says. “The reason I put some of those ads out is to underline his speed. You can ask him to quicken in his races and then join the leaders and then you can actually stop with them again, which is very rare. Then he'll just sit again and relax, and then you can ask him again when it's time to go. Yes, I'm trying to influence people who think you've got to have speed into seeing that he really does have speed, because he does. He's very fast over two or three furlongs and horses like Earthlight and Space Blues, who were terrifically fast horses, he's run faster closing times than them comfortably.”

Nielsen has consistently set out his stall when it comes to what he wants as a breeder, and that is to breed a Derby winner. Stradivarius was not that, but in a way he became so much more, especially to the many people who have become his fans over the last five or six seasons.

“It is great to hear from people when they come up to me and say, 'Thanks for keeping him in training.' Either people who run race tracks, or even members of the public will say it sometimes when you walk between the pre-parade and the paddock. It catches you by surprise, when you hear it,” says Nielsen.

“Obviously, it's great that the public love the horse and that he's had the career that he's had, and I'd like to keep him in training for another 10 years if I could. I must admit, this season now, I start feeling the heat a little bit, because I feel like he actually hasn't lost his ability. It's been more down to what's happened in his races. He didn't lose a race last year that I felt was really because he wasn't good enough.

“I do feel the pressure a little bit now, especially because if he'd run the other day and he'd been beaten ten lengths, then it would've been easy to say, 'He's older now and he's done enough and he's clearly not the force he was', and I think everybody would understand it very easily. That's the way it is, but if he runs again at Goodwood like he ran the other day, I think the people might be saying, 'Why would you stop with him?'”

Certainly, the knowledge that the number of opportunities left to see Stradivarius at the racecourse are now few will add numbers to the gate at Goodwood, whoever else turns up to oppose him on the day. And for Nielsen, his appeal is as much about his character as his innate ability. 

“Everybody loves watching him walk around the paddock. He's got that great walk, like John Wayne, and they always tell me he screams and shouts down at the stables before he comes up to the parade ring. But when he gets up there, he just puts his head down. He's all business. He knows he can't be messing around now. It's time to concentrate.

“He goes down the start and he looks around him. He doesn't seem to be bothered at all that he's got a race coming up. He just stands there and looks across the Downs at Goodwood as if to say 'I've been here before, I remember'. He's got that air about him.”

Nielsen's Derby dream may remain unrealised but he knows that in Stradivarius he has been given the rarest of gifts. 

“Even if I managed to somehow get lucky enough to breed the Derby winner, which was the goal even with him really, it's impossible that I could have as much fun as he's given me, because it's just been so enduring,” he admits. “Normally, if you had a Derby winner, he might run twice as a 2-year-old and five times as a 3-year-old and then you'd be looking at retirement, unless you kept him in training at four. With him, it's 34 races already. He's just going to be impossible to match.”

The post ‘He’s Absolutely Going To Cover Flat Mares Only’: Bjorn Nielsen on Stradivarius’s Future Stud Career appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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“He has re-injured the old suspensory injury that kept him out during 2020,” Johnston told Racing Post. “It could well be worse than it was last time. It's not good news but it's not life threatening.

“He walked on the box, he was standing out here for a while after they bandaged him. He's not fine, it's a serious injury. These things are serious but it's not life threatening in any way.”

Sir Ron Priestley, a 70,000gns yearling purchase by Johnston and a half-brother to the yard's G1 Gold Cup winner Subjectivist (GB) (Teofilo {Ire}), won the G3 March S. at three and was second in the G1 St Leger. He returned from a 19-month layoff to win a listed race at Nottingham in April and the G2 Jockey Club S. three weeks later, and added the G2 Princess of Wales's S. on July 8. after a third in the G2 Yorkshire Cup and seventh in the G2 Hardwicke S.

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Sent off the 6/5 favorite following the withdrawal of four-time Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup winner Stradivarius, the 5-year-old was expected to deliver, and he did just that, powering clear in the closing stages of the two-mile contest.

Doyle made a decisive move as the combination entered the home straight, steering her mount to the stands' side rail and impressively repelling all challengers.

Runner-up Away He Goes (33/1) briefly threatened to be competitive but couldn't live with the winner, ultimately going down by three and three-quarter lengths.

The third home Sir Ron Priestley (9/2) was loaded into the horse ambulance and taken for a scan having collapsed after the race.

King said: “It is a very special moment. I have been very calm all morning, then when John [Gosden] took out Stradivarius and we were shortening all the time, the nerves really started to kick in. I have not been this nervous for a long time.

“I have always enjoyed my Flat races and this is very special. This is up there with the Champion Hurdles. All I want to do is train proper horses! I am not giving up the jumping yet!

“Hollie has given him a great ride and the owners have been great supporters of mine. Trueshan can be a little keen so I'm glad he had a proper race at Newcastle – he could have been ferocious today if he hadn't had that run.

“Trueshan is very ground dependent. We had to take him out of the Gold Cup, which is very hard to do.

“He is in the Lonsdale and he is in the Irish St Leger. I will talk to the boys, but we will probably take him out in the morning at the forfeit stage. The Cadran will probably be his big target in the autumn.”

Doyle and Trueshan had previously combined to win the G2 QIPCO British Champions Long Distance Cup on testing ground at Ascot in October, the same day she landed a breakthrough first G1 success on Glen Shiel.

Doyle said: “This is one of the best days I've ever had. When I got a taste of the success at Ascot on Glen Shiel, I got a bit more hungry and determined to want it more often.

“I never really feel pressure, but today something did come over me as I didn't want to let everyone down. I was very confident going into the race. I haven't had many experiences of Goodwood, let alone on a short-priced favorite. I was feeling it a bit more than normal, but Trueshan is an exceptionally talented animal on this ground.

“He was pretty fresh early on. They were going no gallop and I expected there to be a bit of pace on. Halfway round I thought I have to do something about this as I'm not getting trapped on the rail and so I managed to slide onto the girth of the others and he then settled. The further we went, the better he went. When I hit the rising ground, he's gone again.

“I can't say Trueshan is very ground dependent as I haven't ridden him on anything different to this ground, but he certainly is talented on this ground. I think he probably does enjoy getting his toe in obviously.

“I got some buzz off that – I don't get too high or too low, but when you have experiences like that you have to make the most of it.”

“All credit to Alan and to the owners for keeping faith in me! Trueshan has been in my mind every day since Champions Day and these are the days you do it for.”

Winning co-owner David Hall said: “It is very hard to put it into words. They tried to slow it down in front, but Hollie made sure that the horse got the gallop he needs.

“There is nothing better than winning a Group 1 on the Flat. I like National Hunt racing but after this, it's going to be Goodwood all the way. This is the best racecourse in the world.

“Hollie really has been the making of this horse. She takes no nonsense and doesn't let anyone boss her around in the race.”

Away He Goes' trainer Ismail Mohammed said: “He ran super. He ran only 17 days ago, and it was doubtful with the soft ground because he has had problems with soft ground before. Today he is a different horse, he doesn't act like a five-year-old.

“Group 1s are not easy and it is amazing for our group and our small stable. So far we have Groups 3s, and we are moving steps forward.

“At one point I thought we might win it! We were watching and thought we'd get there.”

Jockey Jim Crowley added: “Away He Goes has run a great race. His form in Dubai is better than it seems. He probably wants better ground, but the trip was ok for him.

“He was travelling better than the winner, but the winner is a good horse and has outstayed him on that ground.”

John Gosden, who trains Stradivarius with his son Thady, said: “It's difficult because obviously we were very keen to try and do something that has never been done before, which is win five Goodwood Cups in a row. He is in great form, full of himself and ready to run but I'm afraid when you yet 60mm of rain since midday Sunday and another bucketload last night.

“I walked the track out in the country with Thady and the stick is going straight to the bottom. It turns it into a bit of a two-mile slog and Stradivarius is a horse who can travel with a great acceleration and a great turn of foot. He can put in pretty amazing fractions for the last two/three furlongs but you are not going to do it on that ground. I think at his age, you have to play to his strengths.

“We made foolish decisions last year to run him at Longchamp on bottomless ground by the river Seine, which he loathed, and then even more stupid to run him on Champions Day on very heavy ground at Ascot. Having made the mistake twice, we weren't quite prepared to do the same thing again.

“All being well and doing things right by the horse, we would like to go to the Lonsdale at York, which is a race he knows well. The easiest thing is to run, the hardest thing is not to run. You must always remember to do what is in the best interests of the horse. All being well, we will go to the Lonsdale and look at something like the Doncaster Cup after that.”

The post Trueshan Triumphant In Goodwood Cup; Stradivarius Withdrawn After Heavy Rain appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Stradivarius has been beaten on four of his last five starts – admittedly with mitigating factors in terms of distance, ground and most recently at Royal Ascot traffic issues following poor positioning – and he might well not have been favorite but for the injury incurred since by the runaway Gold Cup winner Subjectivist.

Nielsen therefore takes less for granted these days where Stradivarius is concerned, and he admits that it's now one race at a time in terms of his racing career. That said, he is confident that while the much anticipated fourth straight Gold Cup win failed to materialize, this ought to be different – granted clear sailing.

He said: “Most of the time when you go racing as an owner you hope they run well, and you hope maybe they'll win, but Stradivarius is that rarest of horse and it's been the case since he won his first Gold Cup that you go there hoping he isn't going to lose, so the feeling watching a race is the opposite to what it normally is.

“The way it is with him now is that he's always the one they have to beat and they ride to beat him, so a lot of horses will be trying to make sure he doesn't have a good run round. They are going to try to make it difficult for him and that's what happened at Ascot. But if he's out and about he's going to win.”

Nielsen, who saw Stradivarius' beating of recent Gold Cup and dual Goodwood Cup winner Big Orange for his first success in the race as “a changing of the guard”, added: “Stradivarius had worked very well before the Gold Cup and we were pretty confident he was going to run a huge race, but things just didn't work out – no disrespect to Subjectivist, who was well trained, well ridden, and quickened up exactly as we were getting stopped.

“I was really looking forward to the rematch but we'll never know now what might have happened. But Subjectivist wouldn't have been that far ahead of us again turning in if he were here, I'm sure of that.

“There are still some very good horses there though, and any rain is going to suit Trueshan. We can't underestimate Sir Ron Priestley either, who Mark Johnston has supplemented and is no slouch. You are always going to need some luck in running at Goodwood too – things have to go your way.”

Nielsen maintains that 'summer' soft ground is not a problem for Stradivarius, so the very heavy shower which hit Goodwood on Sunday morning and was estimated by clerk of the course Ed Arkell to have possibly brought as much as 10mm of rain hopefully won't harm his chances too much.

However, it was certainly music to the ears of Alan King, whose Trueshan was a deeply impressive seven-and-a-half length winner in 'autumn' soft ground in the QIPCO British Champions Long Distance Cup at Ascot in October, when Stradivarius coped much less well.

On hearing news of the of the rain a delighted King said: “That's very good news. I wasn't expecting that much in the morning. I thought the rain that they'd already had would make it safe enough to run, but to see Trueshan at his best it's a case of the more rain the better.”

King added: “Trueshan looked very good at Ascot on British Champions Day and we've been very pleased with him this year. I was very pleased I ran him at Newcastle in the Northumberland Plate, because you can't keep these horses simmering away forever and he had a proper race there. Everything has gone very smoothly in the build up since and we'll see what happens.”

Mark Johnston, a five-time winner of the Goodwood Cup, with Double Trigger (three times), Royal Rebel and Darasim, has paid £25,000 to supplement older half-brother Sir Ron Priestley to fly the flag in place of Subjectivist, and he also saddles last year's length second Nayef Road. However, he is all too aware that neither represents quite the threat to Stradivarius that Subjectivist would have done.

Johnston described the injury suffered earlier this month by Subjectivist, who was ante-post favourite at the time, as “a huge blow”. The 2022 Gold Cup at Royal Ascot is the earliest possible race we might see him in next, he said, and his career will be over if he is sold in the meantime to one of the studs which are currently showing interest.

Subjectivist could hardly have been held in higher regard, for Johnston said: “I'd have put him alongside Attraction and Shamardal as one of the three best I've trained. He was one of those rare horses with which you weren't really concerned about the opposition as he was better than anything out there, and I can't obviously say the same about Nayef Road or even Sir Ron Priestley.”

He added: “We agonised over paying £25,000 to supplement Sir Ron Priestley and I had to convince myself I was doing it for the owner, not myself, as there's some uncertainty about the trip. In the Yorkshire Cup it looked very much as if he didn't stay, but it's hard to equate that with his St Leger second or his Nottingham win, and at the beginning of the year we had no doubt he would stay two miles.

“The other worry is rain, but Charlie (son and assistant), rightly or wrongly, said that on good to firm ground he would put his house on the horse finishing in the first four, which is what we need to get the supplementary fee back.

“Nayef Road's recent runs have been mixed, but in some of them he's shown a glimmer of his best and he deserves to be there on past performance. I don't think any of us would be surprised if he was in the shake up, but he'd need a personal best and Stradivarius to be below form if he were to win.”

Aidan O'Brien, who won two Goodwood Cups with Yeats, saddles last year's Irish Derby winner Santiago, third inlast year's Goodwood Cup, shock Epsom Derby winner Serpentine, who hasn't finished closer than fourth in four races since Epsom, and recent Curragh Cup winner Amhran Na Bhfiann. However, all three were beaten a long way in the Gold Cup.

O'Brien said: “We think coming back to two miles will help Santiago. It was a very good run at Goodwood last year but we are not really sure he gets it (two miles) and he could have to go back to a mile and six or even a mile and a half. He's been very well since Ascot, and I'm very happy with his work.

“Amrhan Na Bhfiann ran in the Gold Cup but has won over a mile and six since. He's a horse we think likes to be ridden forward, although he doesn't have to make the running and we'd be happier if he didn't. He likes a strong tempo and we think coming back to two miles will suit. We maybe made too much use of him over the two and a half miles of the Gold Cup.”

Spanish Mission had Santiago, Sir Ron Priestley and Nayef Road behind when winning the Yorkshire Cup and went on to finish a very respectable third to Subjectivist in the Gold Cup, but trainer Andrew Balding is realistic about his prospects of beating an on-song Stradivarius.

He said: “This has been the plan for a long time and we are really pleased with him – we just wouldn't want too much rain. Stradivarius is a fairly awesome opponent, and if he's anywhere near his best he's going to be very tough to beat, but on his Yorkshire Cup win and his Gold Cup third Spanish Mission ought to be very competitive.”

A field of 11 is completed by the Donnacha O'Brien-trained Listed winner Emperor Of The Sun, who was fifth in the Gold Cup, Ismail Mohammed's Away He Goes, who finished third to Subjectivist at Meydan in March, and the Jamie Osborne-trained Mekong, who was ninth in that Meydan Group 2 and has not raced since.

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“He didn't have much of a race at Ascot, so that race didn't seem to knock him back too far physically,” John Gosden said. “He's won four Goodwood Cups in a row, which takes some doing. It's going to be a fascinating race, with some very nice horses turning up and you're always going to need some luck in running around Goodwood given it's not exactly a big, open galloping track. Goodwood is quintessentially different–rolling in and out, left, right and has cambers. It should make for an exciting day on Tuesday. He's been a pleasure and a lot of fun to train through the years, but as a 7-year-old full horse, he probably knows a great deal more about the game than I do! It'd be wonderful if he puts in a big performance and runs well or wins, but even to have him there for a fifth time is an achievement for everyone here in itself.”

If the soft ground deteriorates any further, then a proper specialist like Trueshan (Fr) (Planteur {Ire}) comes into the reckoning with his 7 1/2-length defeat of Search For a Song (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in Ascot's G2 Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup in October still fresh in the memory. Second attempting to give Japan (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) five pounds in the G3 Ormonde S. over an extended 13 furlongs at Chester May 6, he was a respectable sixth as top weight in the Northumberland Plate H. over this trip on the Tapeta June 26. “To see Trueshan at his best, it's a case of the more rain the better,” trainer Alan King said. “He looked very good at Ascot on British Champions Day and we've been very pleased with him this year. I was very pleased I ran him at Newcastle in the Northumberland Plate, because you can't keep these horses simmering away forever and he had a proper race there. Everything has gone very smoothly in the build-up since and we'll see what happens.”

Another major threat to Stradivarius is Team Valor and Gary Barber's Spanish Mission (Noble Mission {GB}), who was sixth in this last year but who has emerged in 2021 as a stayer to be reckoned with. Handing Santiago three pounds and a beating in the May 14 G2 Yorkshire Cup over nearly 14 furlongs, he holds Sir Ron Priestley on that form and had Stradivarius behind when third in the Gold Cup. “This has been the plan for a long time and we are really pleased with him–we just wouldn't want too much rain,” trainer Andrew Balding commented. “Stradivarius is a fairly awesome opponent and if he's anywhere near his best he's going to be very tough to beat, but on his Yorkshire Cup win and his Gold Cup third, Spanish Mission ought to be very competitive.”

Below-par in the Yorkshire Cup, Sir Ron Priestley has high-class form at a mile and a half on fast ground this term with his two Newmarket successes in the May 1 G2 Jockey Club S. and the July 8 G2 Princess of Wales's S. coming at the expense of Pyledriver (GB) (Harbour Watch {Ire}) in the former contest and Al Aasy (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) in the latter. If he needs it that quick, he will be in trouble here over a longer distance in a contest he is unlikely to be able to boss. “I'd have put Subjectivist alongside Attraction and Shamardal as one of the three best I've trained,” trainer Mark Johnston said. “He was one of those rare horses with which you weren't really concerned about the opposition, because he was better than anything out there and I can't obviously say the same about Nayef Road or even Sir Ron Priestley.”

“We agonised over paying £25,000 to supplement Sir Ron Priestley and I had to convince myself I was doing it for the owner, not myself, because there's some uncertainty about the trip,” he added. “In the Yorkshire Cup, it looked very much as if he didn't stay but it's hard to equate that with his St Leger second or his Nottingham win and at the beginning of the year we had no doubt he would stay two miles. Nayef Road's recent runs have been mixed, but in some of them he's shown a glimmer of his best and he deserves to be there on past performance.”

Of Aidan O'Brien's Gold Cup trio of also-rans, Ryan Moore has stayed loyal to last year's G1 Epsom Derby hero Serpentine (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who could trade at a huge price given that he returns to a more suitable trip over an undulating track. Eighth in the Gold Cup, the fact remains that he was a 5 1/2-length winner of the blue riband with a remarkable show of strength from the front and if he can get near the lead this time he could be hard to peg back. The fourth of the Coolmore contingent is the Donnacha O'Brien-trained Emperor of the Sun (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who was fifth in the Gold Cup and far adrift but who had previously impressed when winning Leopardstown's Listed Saval Beg Levmoss S. over 14 furlongs on rain-eased ground May 14. His 3 1/2-length defeat of Search For a Song there, with Twilight Payment (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), Amhran Na Bhfiann (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Master of Reality (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) well beaten, is form that places him close to the top and he remains unexposed over staying trips.

Space Makes Goodwood Return

There is a fascinating renewal of the G2 Unibet Lennox S. preceding the feature race, with Godolphin heavy-handed in the seven-furlong contest as last year's winner Space Blues (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) returns off a four-month lay-off. Also successful in Deauville's G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest over 6 1/2 furlongs in August and in Riyadh's 1351 Turf Sprint over slightly shorter than this Feb. 20, the 'TDN Rising Star' was a disappointing ninth in the six-furlong G1 Al Quoz Sprint at Meydan Mar. 27 but is back in his comfort zone here. William Buick has stayed loyal to the 5-year-old, leaving James Doyle to pick up the plum ride on the June 19 G3 Jersey S. winner Creative Force (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) who was such an eye-catcher when fifth in the G1 July Cup at Newmarket July 10. “It was always the plan to go straight here after Dubai with Space Blues and his preparation has gone well,” Charlie Appleby said. “He ticks all the boxes–it should be lovely ground and we know that he is a seven-furlong specialist who handles the track. He has flopped every time he has run at Meydan and six furlongs seems to catch him out, so you can put a line through his run in the Al Quoz Sprint. We are excited to get him back on track. We are looking forward to stepping Creative Force back up to seven furlongs–it's a sharp seven at Goodwood, which will suit him. The ground was a bit quick for him at Newmarket last time, but should be more to his liking here. He is a very solid horse, who is getting a 3-year-old allowance, and he goes there in great shape.”

Sunday's heavy rain will not have been a welcome sight for Ralph Beckett as he prepares Marc Chan's 'TDN Rising Star' Kinross (GB) (Kingman {GB}) for action, having made his first start since a gelding operation a successful one in the G3 John of Gaunt S. at Haydock May 29. The runner-up Njord (Ire) (Roderic O'Connor {Ire}) has subsequently upheld the form by finishing in the same berth behind Order of Australia (Ire) (Australia {GB}) in the G2 Minstrel S. and provided the ground has not impacted too much on his chances he may have more upside than the three-years-older G2 City of York S. and G2 Solonaway S. scorer Safe Voyage (Ire) (Fast Company {Ire}).

Shadow Cast

In the G2 Unibet Vintage S., Berkshire Shadow (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}) steps up in trip having beaten the re-opposing Eldrickjones (Ire) (Cotai Glory {GB}) in Royal Ascot's G2 Coventry S. June 15. “The likelihood is he's going to encounter different ground conditions to what he did at Ascot, which is an unknown, but I'm very happy with the horse and I think the extra furlong will suit him well,” trainer Andrew Balding said. “It was a very good performance in the Coventry and likewise first time out he was very impressive. He's obviously a horse with a huge amount of talent. It was always the intention to step up to seven furlongs after Ascot and I hope if he handles the ground he'll go very well.”

Al Shaqab Racing's Lusail (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) has already won over this trip in a smart novice contest at Newmarket June 19 and has subsequently dropped to six to take the G2 July S. also at that venue July 8. He had Eldrickjones back in fifth there and may have the edge over the Coventry runners on that evidence. “Obviously Lusail has been over seven before, so that's a plus for him,” trainer Richard Hannon commented. “He's got a decent draw and if he handles the ground he'll go very close. I hope he'll handle the ground, but you never know until you try.”

Nick Bradley, who runs the syndicate concerned with Eldrickjones, said of their contender, “I'd be hopeful we could at least finish a bit closer to Berkshire Shadow, based on the fact I think we were on a less favoured part of the track than the winner at Ascot. I think the step up to seven furlongs will be a help for us and probably a help for him as well. Lusail is probably the one to beat, in my opinion. But with horses like this, there's only so many races you can go for and I've had this race in mind for some time for our horse.”

Monday saw the declarations confirmed for the G1 Qatar Sussex S. and Wednesday's feature will be boosted by the presence of 'TDN Rising Star' Snow Lantern (GB) (Frankel {GB}) after connections opted to take the plunge in the mile contest. Successful in the G1 Falmouth S. at Newmarket July 9, Rockcliffe Stud's homebred will be partnered by Jamie Spencer as she renews rivalry with the G1 Coronation S. winner and Falmouth third Alcohol Free (Ire) (No Nay Never) as they face Jim Bolger's G1 2000 Guineas and G1 St James's Palace S. hero Poetic Flare (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire}). Ryan Moore has picked the GI Breeders' Cup Mile winner and G2 Minstrel S. winner Order of Australia (Ire) (Australia {GB}) over the G1 Queen Anne S. runner-up Lope Y Fernandez (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}), who is the mount of Frankie Dettori, while Aidan O'Brien withdrew Battleground (War Front) immediately after declaring the 3-year-old due to a bad scope.

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Reflecting on his fourth-place finish in last month's Gold Cup at Royal Ascot, Gosden paid tribute to the winner whilst also being left frustrated with how the race panned out.

“He's been in good order since Royal Ascot. The Gold Cup was a fascinating race and Subjectivist put in a superb performance. I'd love to have got in a race with the winner, but we never had the opportunity to get there and that's life. I think Frankie, having ridden him so brilliantly in previous Gold Cups, seemed to have a brainstorm and sit 12 lengths of the pace! I'm sorry that Subjectivist is not able to run next week, it's heart-breaking for everyone involved and it would have been great to have enjoyed a 'Duel on the Downs'.”

Looking ahead to next week's £500,000 British Champion Series race at Goodwood, Gosden is happy with Stradivarius's preparation ahead of what is a unique test over two miles.

He said: “He didn't have much of a race at Ascot so that race didn't seem to knock him back too far physically. He's won four Goodwood Cups in a row which takes some doing. It's going to be a fascinating race with some very nice horses turning up and you're always going to need some luck in running around Goodwood given it's not exactly a big, open galloping track. It's quintessentially different, rolling in and out, left, right and has cambers. It should make for an exciting day on Tuesday.”

Having arrived at Clarehaven Stables in 2016, Stradivarius has been a key part of the Gosden team for six years and his trainer paid tribute to his longevity and toughness.

Gosden said: “He's been a pleasure and a lot of fun to train through the years but as a 7-year-old full horse, he probably knows a great deal more about the game than I do! He's very much part of family here – we had Enable with us until she was a 6-year-old and him until he is seven. It doesn't normally happen with full horses like him. Everyone enjoys his company, and he checks everything in and out from his box and he knows Clarehaven inside and out. He enjoys going out on the Heath and shouting at the other strings!”

“It'd be wonderful if he puts in a big performance and runs well or wins but even to have him there for a fifth time is an achievement for everyone here in itself.”

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Entries were revealed Wednesday for seven races during the Qatar Goodwood Festival, including the two-mile highlight and the G1 Qatar Nassau Stakes.

The Qatar Goodwood Festival runs from Tuesday, July 27 to Saturday, July 31, with the first three days forming part of the Tote World Pool series.

All eyes were on the John & Thady Gosden-trained Stradivarius at Royal Ascot as he attempted to emulate Yeats' record of four Gold Cups, but it was Subjectivist who powered to an emphatic five-length victory as Stradivarius met trouble in running to finish fourth.

Mark Johnston's stable star is building quite a CV, with last week's success coming on the back of equally dominant victories in the G1 Prix Royal-Oak at Longchamp in October and the G2 Dubai Gold Cup at Meydan, UAE, in March.

Johnston has sent out five winners of the Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup, including Double Trigger, who captured the race three times between 1995 and 1998 – a feat surpassed by Stradivarius last year.

Johnston said: “Subjectivist has had a very easy time of it since his run in the Gold Cup. He will have a gradual return back to full work, with the Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup being the next target.

“Looking back at the Gold Cup, it was a very exciting performance. Whichever way you look at it, whether it be the form, the time, the sectional times, the distance he won by, it all points to it being an absolutely top-draw performance.

“In fairness, his win before that in Dubai was very good, but I suppose everybody is generally slightly sceptical of the Dubai form. But at Ascot he has confirmed it by running a very similar race in terms of style. I don't think there are any doubts about the horse now.

“It is well-documented that I love the stayers, and it means a huge amount to me personally to have a horse like this. With horses who run in these big two-mile plus races, the big concern is can you keep them sound, but barring any injuries or problems, he is an extremely exciting horse to have.”

Regarding a rematch with Stradivarius, Johnston added: “I think if you read my blog, you will see that I said, 'Subjectivist was bred by Susan Hearn, Barry Hearn's wife, and if this was another sport, Barry Hearn would be promoting the rematch and we'd all be making a lot of money out of it!' But seriously, a big clash between these two horses at Goodwood will be very good for racing.”

Stradivarius has made the Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup his own since landing the spoils for the first time as a three-year-old in 2017. Bjorn Nielsen's homebred is chasing an unprecedented fifth straight victory, a feat unlikely to be repeated in a race that dates back to 1812.

Other high-profile entries include G2 Yorkshire Cup victor Spanish Mission (Andrew Balding), who was third behind Subjectivist at Royal Ascot, and 2019 St Leger victor Logician (John & Thady Gosden).

Irish trainer Joseph O'Brien has three entries, including Melbourne Cup victor Twilight Payment and prolific G2 Belmont Gold Cup winner Baron Samedi.

The Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup is part of the British Champions Series.

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It wasn't all plain sailing as it has been in previous renewals, however, as a moderate pace and trouble in running meant he wasn't allowed smooth passage in the home straight.

His superior class prevailed however as his trademark turn of foot saw him get out of trouble midway through the final furlong.

As Spanish Mission and Eagles By Day made their move from the back it caused what seemed like major traffic problems for the serial champion, who became very boxed in. Now held on the rail, Frankie Dettori was unable to push the button when he wanted with little daylight and major rival Santiago getting clear first run.

However once Dettori was able to get racing room Stradivarius showed the class and turn of foot that has made him a household name. The afterburners came into full flow on the favorite and he cruised past Nayef Road and Santiago with little fuss to win reasonably comfortably. Nayef Road was once again gallant and stuck on to finish second.

Trainer John Gosden surprised many by indicating the Prix de l'arc de Triomphe would be a an end of season target in the post-race interviews.

John Gosden gives his verdict on the spectacular performance of Stradivarius in the @Q_REC Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup Stakes and looks ahead to an exciting duel with a stablemate in the Arc. #TheGloriousFive#QatarGoodwoodFestival pic.twitter.com/ectpU5CFGc

— Goodwood Racecourse (@Goodwood_Races) July 28, 2020

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