MansionBet Yorkshire Cup |
|
| Group 2, York 15:30 £165,000 added, 4yo plus, 1m 5f 188y, Class 1  |
|
| Friday 18th May 2018 | |
1 Stradivarius 4/6F
2 Desert Skyline 10/1
3 Call To Mind 10/1
8 ran Distances: 3l, nk, 3½l
Time: 2m 55.15s (fast by 1.65s)
Stradivarius storms to an impressive victory under Frankie Dettori
 |
John Gosden’s Stradivarius was sent off the 4-6 favourite and Frankie Dettori’s mount treated his rivals with contempt down the long home straight on the Knavesmire.
Dettori allowed himself a look between his legs over a furlong out and when he asked him to go and win his race, Desert Skyline and Call To Mind had no response.
“He’s a star – it’s very rare you get a stayer with a turn of foot, but that is what he has got. It’s a deadly combination,” said Dettori.
“It is a great weapon to have over this distance and he’s a force to be reckoned with now.”
Third in the St Leger and only a length behind Order Of St George at Ascot on Champions day, Stradivarius is set to renew rivalry with Aidan O’Brien’s ace in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot in June.
Dettori added: “He is the young pretender in the Gold Cup, with fresh legs, and he’s on the way up.”
Gosden, who had already won the Middleton Stakes and the Dante this week, said: “That was a proper test first time back and I haven’t been working him like that, I can assure you.
“Willie Mullins came to make it a proper test (with Wicklow Brave).
“He’d only done bridle work so I couldn’t be more happy.
“He’s bred by his owner and it’s important these people have success.”
Looking to Ascot, he said: “I promise you I can’t practice over two and a half miles (Gold Cup trip) at home, so the answer to if he will stay we’ll find out when they turn for home.
“We’ll go for the Gold Cup, but it’s uncharted territory.
“He switches off and the freshness is out of him, so if you relax and switch off you’ve got a chance.
“It was a tough race, they went hard.”
The victory also qualifies Stradivarius to challenge for the Weatherbys Hamilton Stayers Million, a bonus he would land if he could claim the Gold Cup, Goodwood Cup and the Lonsdale Cup.
Gosden said: “It’s good, isn’t it – we’ve now got the big hurdle (Gold Cup), that was the little hurdle!”
David Elsworth said of runner-up Desert Skyline: “He’s a tough individual, but he wants to go faster and further.
“We’ll leave him until the Gold Cup now, and he should have a good chance.”
MansionBet Yorkshire Cup (Group 2)
(British Champions Series)
£165,000 added, 4yo plus, 1m 5f 188y, Class 1
8 ran
Going: Good to Firm
| Pos | Dr | D | Horse SP | Jockey Weight | Trainer | Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | (5) | Stradivarius (IRE) 4/6f | L Dettori 9-1 |
J H M Gosden | 4 | |
| 2nd | (8) | 3 | Desert Skyline (IRE) 10/1 | S De Sousa 9-4 |
D R C Elsworth | 4 |
| 3rd | (2) | nk | Call To Mind 10/1 | W Buick 9-1 |
W J Haggas | 4 |
| 4th | (6) | 3½ | Max Dynamite (FR) 7/1 | R L Moore 9-1 |
W P Mullins | 8 |
| 5th | (7) | 1 | Count Octave 8/1 | Oisin Murphy 9-1 |
A M Balding | 4 |
| 6th | (3) | 5 | Clever Cookie 40/1 | P McDonald 9-1 |
P D Niven | 10 |
| 7th | (1) | 1 | Wicklow Brave 12/1 | Andrea Atzeni 9-1 |
W P Mullins | 9 |
| 8th | (4) | 4 | On To Victory 20/1 | P Mulrennan 9-1 |
Eve Johnson Houghton | 4 |
