Stradivarius is widely expected to take one more step towards a £1m bonus when he runs in Tuesday’s Goodwood Cup, the highlight race on the opening day of Glorious Goodwood. The bonny chestnut, who could be the hottest favourite of the week, is reported in good health by his trainer, John Gosden, despite scaring onlookers by going lame within minutes of winning the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot last month.
“He shifted a hind shoe at some stage in the race,” Gosden said on Monday, “and the clip of the shoe went into the sole of his foot. So there was quite a lot of blood. He was actually lame as he left the winner’s enclosure.
“The farrier did a great job; he just happened to be in Ascot with us. He patched him up and he came right in four days. We just had to go quietly for a few days, walking on the grass and let the whole thing heal. It punctured in quite a way.”
For that reason Gosden was doubtless grateful for the 40-day gap before this race but he reports that the horse “has done nothing but please us” since Ascot.
Stradivarius faces six rivals in a race he won last year; if he can do it again, he will have only the Lonsdale at York next month between him and a £1m bonus offered for the first time this year by the insurers Weatherbys Hamilton.
Gosden takes nothing for granted, predicts it will be “a tough enough race” and names the Irish raider Torcedor as the main danger. But he is not especially worried about the risk that so few runners might lead to a steady pace and a sprint finish.
“For a stayer he has a turn of foot,” he said. “He’s not just a plodding, one‑paced horse. I think there’ll be enough pace in the race. There’ll be two or three there wanting an even gallop and I’m sure that’s probably what we’ll get.”
The trainer is more worried about the shape of Wednesday’s Sussex Stakes, in which he will also field the favourite, Without Parole. “On first look it’s pretty paceless. There’s nothing in there that’s obviously going to set a gallop, so it could turn into a tactical affair. They all come from off the pace, so someone’s going to have to do something a little different, that’s for sure.”
For the first two days at Goodwood, Gosden must work without his longtime ally Frankie Dettori, banned for careless riding. Andrea Atzeni, who replaces him, was aboard Stradivarius in last year’s Goodwood Cup but has not ridden Without Parole in a race. “But Frankie will be there, lending plenty of advice,” Gosden said.
Asked if he had lined up any fancied runners for Dettori’s return on Thursday, the trainer said: “Precious Ramotswe’s in good form and she goes for the Lillie Langtry. But we don’t have a great number of runners. These horses have been at it a long time. We were very busy at Royal Ascot and the ground’s quick. We have tended to thin out on runners, along with everyone else. We’re freshening a few up and then we’ll be rolling again. It can happen at this time of year.”
Notably Gosden has taken Dreamfield out of the Stewards’ Cup on Saturday, for which the horse had been favourite. “I wasn’t happy with the blood on him, so we didn’t leave him in. I think we’ll wait for York, probably.”
Galway’s summer festival began on Monday night with a comeback winner for Ruby Walsh, last seen breaking a leg at the Cheltenham Festival in March. That injury occurred six days after his comeback from breaking the same leg four months earlier.
Walsh, who won a novice hurdle on the 5-4 shot Easy Game on Monday, said: “It’s great to be back. Hopefully it’ll last a bit longer than a week this time.”
Goodwood 1.50 Silver Line 2.25 Cosmic Law (nb) 3.00 Sir Dancealot (nap) 3.35 Torcedor 4.10 Al Mureib 4.45 Pettochside 5.15 Dance On The Day
Yarmouth 1.40 Emily Goldfinch 2.15 Lonely Boy 2.50 Sexy Secret 3.25 Final Rock 4.00 Mujassam 4.30 Lily Ash 5.05 Fang
Beverley 2.05 Ramesses 2.40 Dream Free 3.15 Northernpowerhouse 3.50 Scuzeme 4.20 Three Saints Bay 4.55 Kylie Rules 5.30 Palindrome 6.00 Hilborough
Worcester 5.35 Samson 6.05 Brave Eagle 6.40 I’dliketheoption 7.15 Black Jack Rover 7.50 Katebird 8.20 Ginger Fizz 8.50 Cash In Mind
Perth 5.45 Youghal By The Sea 6.15 Graineyhill 6.50 Chanceanotherfive 7.25 Swingbridge 8.00 Sense Of Urgency 8.30 Crack Of Thunder 9.00 The Jam Man
Tips by Chris Cook
