Stradivarius Still A Force To Be Reckoned With

Twenty career wins, 18 in group company. Those that wrote off Stradivarius (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) had to think again on Friday as Bjorn Nielsen's legendary chestnut popped up to keep his unbeaten tag on York's Knavesmire intact with a third G2 Paddy Power Yorkshire Cup. Travelling with all the gusto of his earlier days, the 6-4 favourite who was largely dogged by unsuitable ground and a dash of bad luck in 2021 sliced between younger rivals heading to two out with the crowd in raptures. Taking the measure of long-time leader Thunderous (Ire) (Night of Thunder {Ire}) soon after, he ended up towards the stands which he has come to own down the years and was clearly idling en route to a snug length success. In doing so, he surpassed the record of group wins in Europe previously held jointly with Cirrus Des Aigles (Fr) (Even Top {Ire}).

“My mouth is a bit dry–I'm emotional,” Frankie said as he prepared to parade the 8-year-old in front of the doting audience on his Yorkshire farewell. “Great. He actually surprised me, as he took me into the race very quickly. He pulls himself up in front, but I had no choice. The Gosdens are master trainers and changed his work and routine to keep him interested, worked him from the front and the back, taken him to different places, just to get him motivated as he's been going on those gallops for six years. I thought we had him fit, but until you try you don't know because he looks after himself. He looked the same as he usually does, travelled with zest and showed a good turn of foot and then he pulls up in front, but we know he does that. I will miss him dearly when he's retired–I'm trying to hold back the tears.”

John Gosden added, “He's totally unique. He was on his hind legs when we were saddling him, every time he saw a filly he started showing off but he came over here and he was a professional as ever. If the ground is not heavy, the plan is to go back to Ascot. It's like Desert Orchid, these horses do capture the imagination because they have longevity. To be the leading group-winning horse of all time in Europe, that takes some doing. Let's hope we can get to Ascot and the ground's not too deep, I think if he had this ground he'd take a lot of beating.”

Listing all of Stradivarius's achievements is unnecessary, but the staggering total of pattern races includes 17 at either this or group 1 level with the only group 3 coming in last year's Sagaro S. when connections changed tack. Whether that decision contributed to his subsequent reversal looking for a fourth Ascot Gold Cup will never be known, but his stable were keen to go back to basics for his preparatory run this time. With better luck in running last June, he possibly would have been second behind the now-absent Subjectivist (GB) (Teofilo {Ire}) and it could be that given his preferred lively surface that is enough in 2022.

His owner-breeder remembers the staying greats all the way back to the likes of Sagaro, Ardross and Le Moss, but was not being drawn on comparisons with his star of the present. “You can never really compare different eras–he might have won a lot more races than them, but they were great and I loved watching those horses when I was young,” he said. “I think what we've done well with him is to keep him running in England and France rather than taking him to the Middle East or Australia. The wheels can come off when you do that and that is why he has endured so long.”

“Everyone wants to stand fast horses now and people get afraid of getting beaten so that they lose value, so the pressure is on to retire but I've obviously never been under as much pressure to retire him. He's probably worth as much in prizemoney than at stud. We're focusing on nothing more than the Gold Cup, especially as he's an eight-year-old,” Nielsen added. “The day will come when he's off the bridle and doesn't do it, so it's one race at a time.”

Stradivarius descends from the richly-talented Wildenstein distaffer Pawneese (Ire), deservedly crowned Horse of the Year in England in 1976 when she was also the champion 3-year-old filly in her native France. Her wins in the G1 Epsom Oaks, G1 Prix de Diane and G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond S. remain the stuff of legend, while her family also includes a chestnut like this winner who also wowed onlookers. Nureyev's Peintre Celebre was the brilliant winner of the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in 1997, having already annexed the G1 Prix du Jockey Club and G1 Grand Prix de Paris. Stradivarius was the last foal out of Private Life (Fr) (Bering {GB}), who acted as a vessel for no small measure of this dynasty's magic.

Friday, York, Britain
PADDY POWER YORKSHIRE CUP-G2, £175,000, York, 5-13, 4yo/up, 13f 188yT, 2:58.33, gd.
1–STRADIVARIUS (IRE), 132, h, 8, by Sea The Stars (Ire)
     1st Dam: Private Life (Fr) (MSP-Fr), by Bering (GB)
     2nd Dam: Poughkeepsie (Ire), by Sadler's Wells
     3rd Dam: Pawneese (Ire), by Carvin II
(330,000gns RNA Ylg '15 TATOCT). O/B-Bjorn Nielsen (IRE); T-John & Thady Gosden; J-Frankie Dettori. £99,243. Lifetime Record: 3x Hwt. Older Horse-Eur at 14f+, 3x Hwt. Older Horse-Eng at 14f+, MG1SW-Eng & G1SP-Fr, 33-20-4-4, $4,267,854. *1/2 to Persian Storm (Ger) (Monsun {Ger}), Hwt. 3yo-Ger at 9 1/2-11f, MGSW-Ger, $121,198; 1/2 to Rembrandt Van Rijn (Ire) (Peintre Celebre), GSP-UAE, $167,081. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Thunderous (Ire), 129, g, 5, Night of Thunder (Ire)–Souviens Toi (GB), by Dalakhani (Ire).
(70,000gns Ylg '18 TAOCT). O-Highclere Thoroughbred Racing – George Stubbs; B-Rabbah Bloodstock Limited (IRE); T-Charlie & Mark Johnston. £37,625.
3–Tashkhan (Ire), 129, g, 4, Born To Sea (Ire)–Tarziyna (Ire), by Raven's Pass.
(€11,000 2yo '20 GOFAUT). O-Mr P Boyle; B-His Highness the Aga Khan's Studs S.C. (IRE); T-Brian Ellison. £18,830.
Margins: 1, 2, NO. Odds: 1.50, 8.50, 8.50.
Also Ran: Search For a Song (Ire), Max Vega (Ire). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

 

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Nathaniel’s Desert Crown Storms Into Derby Contention

The G1 Cazoo Derby just got much more interesting after TDN Rising Star Desert Crown (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}–Desert Berry {GB}, by Green Desert) injected much-needed adrenaline into the mix by registering an impressive success in Thursday's G2 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante S. at York. Sir Michael Stoute may have tried to hide the light of Saeed Suhail's once-raced colt under a bushel, describing him as “workmanlike” at home, but the news about him had nevertheless spread like wildfire through Newmarket and now we know why. Impressive enough on his winning debut in the extended mile maiden at Nottingham in November won in recent times by Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}) and Space Blues (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), he was out of the ordinary here tackling proven group winners after a glitch in his spring training.

Switched off towards the rear by Richard Kingscote, the 7-2 joint-favourite was moved to the front with minimal encouragement passing two out and despite veering right stamped his class on affairs. At the line, the Strawberry Fields Stud-bred 280,000gns Book 2 purchase had 3 1/4 lengths to spare over Royal Patronage (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), with Bluegrass (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) offering Ballydoyle a line into the form 2 1/2 lengths further behind in third. In doing so, he drew Stoute level with the late Sir Henry Cecil on a joint-record seven winners of this prestigious Derby trial. “He is possibly still a little bit green, but he's a very relaxed individual and I don't see a mile and a half being a problem,” the winning rider said. “I moved him a little earlier than I would have ideally liked, but he was shrewd. I was in front plenty long enough and we were just rolling around a little in the finish. He's had a little shout on the way to the start, so you'd like to think there could be more to come.”

Following on from Galileo's rampant week, his son Nathaniel has helped to put the Derby even more out of the grasp of any sire not directly imbued with his rarefied genes. Either the sire or sire's sire of the top seven quoted at present, the late Coolmore great could come to dominate the 2022 Blue Riband like no other year and if it is Desert Crown on top of them all it will surprise nobody after this. Not even his trainer, who has made choosing his words carefully an art form, couldn't water this one down. “He surprised me actually,” he said. “You'd have to be very happy with that performance–he was very professional, as it's only his second race. I wasn't confident, as we only just got him up to a race after a minor setback in February. We'll find out if he stays at Epsom, but I'd be very hopeful it wouldn't be a problem. His temperament isn't a problem, he's a very relaxed horse.”

“He has to go there with a very sound chance. He is a beautifully-balanced horse, so hopefully he'll handle that aspect as well,” Stoute added. “That was a big leap up. He was impressive in his maiden, but as he got behind with the hold-up and behind schedule we had to do what we did and he didn't let me down. Other than Workforce, all my Dante horses had had a previous race early in the season so that was very encouraging.”

Royal Patronage is not certain to go to Epsom according to Mark Johnston. “You're never delighted with second, but it's nice to be back in the game,” he said. “I'd like to watch it back, as just as we started to make our move it got a little bit tight in front of him. He wasn't exactly checked, but maybe the winner got a run on us, I'm not sure. We ran in a mile in the Guineas, having previously planned to come here and go to Epsom. We talked ourselves into a mile for the Guineas and the one thing we know now is that's wrong. We've got lots to think about regarding where he goes next. It could be France, but it could still be Epsom.”

The winner's dam, who captured a mile maiden on Lingfield's Polytrack, was bred exclusively to Archipenko until Desert Crown, with her best performer to date being the G3 Premier Cup winner Archie McKellar (GB), known in Hong Kong as Flying Thunder. Her 2018 colt Cu Chulainn (GB) was a 425,000gns purchase by the Hong Kong Jockey Club at the Book 2 Sale as a result of his full-brother's exploits, but failed to make his mark for Brian Meehan.

This is a Juddmonte family, with the third dam Binary (GB) (Rainbow Quest) responsible for the operation's prolific producer Binche (Woodman). She is responsible for the G1 Prince of Wales's S. hero Byword (GB) (Peintre Celebre) and the four-times grade I-winning Proviso (GB) (Dansili {GB}). When bred to Galileo's Frankel (GB), she threw the G2 Prix Eugene Adam scorer Finche (GB) and the recent Listed Prix Lord Seymour winner Baratti (GB). Desert Berry's 2-year-old filly is by Al Kazeem (GB), while she also has a yearling son of Study of Man (Ire).

Thursday, York, Britain
AL BASTI EQUIWORLD DUBAI DANTE S.-G2, £175,000, York, 5-12, 3yo, 10f 56yT, 2:09.46, gd.
1–DESERT CROWN (GB), 128, c, 3, by Nathaniel (Ire)
     1st Dam: Desert Berry (GB), by Green Desert
     2nd Dam: Foreign Language, by Distant View
     3rd Dam: Binary (GB), by Rainbow Quest
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GROUP WIN. (280,000gns Ylg '20 TATOCT). O-Saeed Suhail; B-Strawberry Fields Stud (GB); T-Sir Michael Stoute; J-Richard Kingscote. £99,243. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $128,524. *1/2 to Archie McKellar (GB) (Archipenko), GSW-HK, $513,497. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Royal Patronage (Fr), 128, c, 3, Wootton Bassett (GB)–Shaloushka (Ire), by Dalakhani (Ire). (62,000gns Ylg '20 TATOCT). O-Highclere Thoroughbred Racing – Woodland Walk; B-Emma Capon Bloodstock (FR); T-Charlie & Mark Johnston. £37,625.
3–Bluegrass (Ire), 128, c, 3, Galileo (Ire)–Quiet Reflection (GB), by Showcasing (GB).
1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. O-D Smith,Mrs J Magnier,M Tabor,Westerberg; B-Coolmore (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. £18,830.
Margins: 3 1/4, 2HF, 2. Odds: 3.50, 3.50, 7.00.
Also Ran: Dark Moon Rising (Ire), Kingmax (Ire), White Wolf (Ire), El Bodegon (Ire), Magisterial (Ire). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

 

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Marlinka’s Finale Comes Out at Newmarket

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Thursday's Observations features the final foal out of Marlinka (GB) (Marju {Ire}).

4.45 York, Mdn, £20,000, 2yo, 6fT
UBETTABEQUICK (IRE) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), the joint top-priced filly at the Arqana Deauville October Yearling Sale at €350,000, debuts for Martin Webb Racing and the Nigel Tinkler stable who teamed up with the 2020 G2 Flying Childers S. scorer Ubettabelieveit (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}). Another pricey yearling purchase in the race is Amo Racing's similarly unraced filly Queen Olly (Ire) (No Nay Never), a David Loughnane-trained relative of Tiger Moth (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) who fetched €300,000 at Goffs Orby.

 

7.10 Newmarket, Mdn, £10,000, 3yo, 10fT
SPECIAL ENVOY (GB) (Frankel {GB}) was a private purchase by Juddmonte for 850,000gns at the 2020 Book 1 Sale, with the Elite Racing Club having opted to buy him back at 1million gns the previous day. A half-brother to the champion sprinter Marsha (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) and the dual Group 3-winning Judicial (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}), the John and Thady Gosden-trained bay is the final foal out of Marlinka (GB) (Marju {Ire}).

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All Is Well At York As Dante Leads Thursday’s Card

It's May, it's sunny, it's the Dante meeting in the county of England known as “God's Own Country” and we have a Sir Michael Stoute Derby plunge horse about to appear. While the kingpin of Newmarket is still prepared to train racehorses, there will continue to be moments like these and this time the bearer of the Freemason Lodge standard is the unbeaten 'TDN Rising Star' Desert Crown (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) in Thursday's G2 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante S. Bred at Gary Robinson's Teversham-based Strawberry Fields Stud, Saeed Suhail's 280,000gns Book 2 purchase looked a real prospect when winning the extended mile maiden at Nottingham in November won in recent times by Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}) and Space Blues (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}). At 11-1 that day, it is safe to say the bay exceeded expectations but there will be far less mileage in his odds here after all the hullabaloo which has surrounded him of late. Stoute, who has the chance to equal the record of seven Dante winners set by his friend and rival, the late Sir Henry Cecil, has spoken of a setback which ruled out an earlier run and this trial has only just come around in time.

“Sir Michael is bringing him along very gradually, a month ago you certainly wouldn't have been thinking of winning any Derby but he's coming to hand now,” Saeed Suhail's racing manager Bruce Raymond said. “One thing about our horse is he'll stay very well and whatever he does in the Dante, he'll improve a lot for. He'd have to run well, but if he gets beat it doesn't automatically mean he wouldn't run in the Derby. He will be a decent horse in time.”

 

Will Experience Count?

While Desert Crown lacks seasoning, at the other end of that spectrum is Nas Syndicate and Tony O'Callaghan's G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud and G3 Prix de Conde winner El Bodegon (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}), whose defeat of Stone Age (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and company in the latter contest looks stronger all the time. Trainer James Ferguson missed the chance to saddle a runner in the 1000 Guineas, but he is well on track to be involved in the G1 Cazoo Derby and all bar Highclere's G2 Royal Lodge S. and G3 Acomb S. winner Royal Patronage (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) have to improve to get to his level.

“He's the only Group 1 winner in the field and we've beaten the Derby favourite,” Ferguson said. “Stone Age looks progressive and has obviously done very well from two to three, but on paper you've got to be very happy with what we've got here in the yard.”

Jason Hart said of Royal Patronage, “His Acomb win here was good and there was no fluke in it–he has a great attitude and this course plays to his strengths.”

 

More Thunder Forecast

Night of Thunder (Ire) has already delivered a stunner at this meeting in Highfield Princess (Fr) and he is represented by the favourite in Thursday's G2 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Middleton Fillies' S. Heading Newtown Anner Stud Farm's duo is the Ger Lyons-trained impressive Listed Noblesse S. winner Thunder Kiss (Ire) (Night of Thunder {Ire}), who has been patiently handled by her trainer and gives the impression she is ready to produce something special. She is met by the Stoute duo Ville de Grace (GB) (Le Havre {Ire}) and Noon Star (Galileo {Ire}), with the former narrowly denied in Newmarket's G2 Dahlia S. over nine furlongs May 1, her latest honest and consistent effort. Juddmonte's 'TDN Rising Star' Noon Star is still an unknown quantity, but she has to be better than her workmanlike success in the Apr. 26 Listed Nottinghamshire Oaks.

“Hopefully she'll have progressed, she was off the track for a long while, so you'd hope there would be natural progression from the last run to this one,” Barry Mahon said.

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