Stradivarius puts Arc hopes to the test at ParisLongchamp

Ashley Iveson
September 12, 2020 11:45 am

Star stayer drops down in distance for Prix Foy.

Stradivarius gets the opportunity to rubber-stamp his Arc claims in the Prix Foy at ParisLongchamp on Sunday.

John Gosden’s popular chestnut has dominated the staying scene over the past three seasons, with a hat-trick of wins in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot and a record four Goodwood Cups meaning his status as a great of the division is already assured.

However, with Bjorn Nielsen keen on a tilt at the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe this year, Stradivarius drops back in distance in a recognised trial for Europe’s premier middle-distance contest over the same course and distance.

WOW 👀
A virtuoso performance from Stradivarius as he becomes only the third horse in history to win a hat-trick of Gold Cups!#RoyalAscot pic.twitter.com/ytlfPfWp9c
— Ascot Racecourse (@Ascot) June 18, 2020

“He’s sharpened up as a stronger, more powerful horse. He’s not what I call a big, one-paced staying type at all – he’s got a lot of speed this horse, so we’re looking forward to running him over a mile and a half,” said Gosden.

“He’s in good form and I’m very happy with him. He’s worked nicely.”

Stradivarius proved he is capable of mixing it at the top level over a mile and a half when third behind Ghaiyyath in the Coronation Cup earlier in the season.

Frankie Dettori is on board this weekend, but is expected to partner stable companion Enable in the Arc as she goes in search of a historic third victory in the race.

Gosden has admitted to tweaking Stradivarius’ training ahead of his first trip across the Channel.

He added: “We don’t know how the race will be run – these French trials can just be run from the head of the straight. We’ll leave it to Frankie, but we couldn’t be more pleased with the horse.

“We have trained him to sharpen him a bit, but he’s wanted to and let us do it. He has sharpened in his work, which was very much the plan, but we haven’t done anything dramatically different because he rather likes the way he’s been trained.”

Among the five horses taking on Stradivarius is Aidan O’Brien’s Anthony Van Dyck, who was second in the Coronation Cup before finishing only fifth when favourite for the Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot. Mickael Barzalona takes the ride.

The fillies get their chance to shine in the Prix Vermeille, for which Jean-Claude Rouget’s Raabihah is a hot favourite.

Dame Malliot lines up for the Prix Vermeille (Francesca Altoft/PA)

Dermot Weld’s Tarnawa and the Ger Lyons-trained Irish Oaks winner Even So carry Irish hopes, while Ed Vaughan’s Dame Malliot and David Menuisier’s Wonderful Tonight represent Britain.

Dame Malliot impressed in the Group Two Princess of Wales’s Stakes at Newmarket in July before finishing third in a German Group One under Hollie Doyle. Dettori takes over in the saddle this weekend.

Vaughan said: “I’m delighted to have Frankie available to ride. He came and had a sit on her earlier in the week and I was very pleased.

“The filly seems in very good form. Hollie felt she didn’t handle the track that well in Germany and said the ground rode quite rough.

“They’re talking about good ground on Sunday, which will be fine, and a big, galloping track like Longchamp should suit.”