STRADIVARIUS was cut to 6-4 favourite to defend his Gold Cup crown at Royal Ascot after battling to victory in the Yorkshire Cup.
In 2018, the John Gosden five-year-old landed the Weatherbys Hamilton Stayers’ Million by scoring on the Knavesmire before going on to lift the Gold Cup, the Goodwood Cup and York’s Lonsdale Cup.
And the seven-figure pot is once again on his agenda - with the Gold Cup on June 20 next on the list - after Stradivarius and Frankie Dettori beat Aidan O’Brien’s Southern France and Ryan Moore for the one-mile, six-furlong Group 2
Conceding 3lb to the runner-up, Stradivarius was made to fight before forging ahead inside the final furlong to score by a length.
“He’s a fighter and he’s got me out of trouble so many times,” beamed Dettori. “He just put his head down and went.
“There was the penalty and he was a bit rusty. There wasn't much of a pace, it was more of a sprint. It took me a while to get to Ryan, but once we got upsides there was only going to be one winner.
Gosden added: “Obviously this was a prep for the Gold Cup and he hadn't been trained hard for this.
“He's not the polished article yet. We hope to have that at Royal Ascot.”
