Stradivarius lands hat-trick

Stradivarius, ridden by Frankie Dettori, blew away the field to land a third successive Group 1 Gold Cup at Royal Ascot on Thursday, in a race run without spectators due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

It was the star Italian jockey's eighth win in the classic.

His first was aboard Drum Taps in 1992.

Stradivarius, the 4-5 favourite trained by John Gosden, hit the front with 400m to go in the gruelling 4,000m showpiece.

He then accelerated away to win by 10 lengths from Nayef Road (11-1) and Cross Counter (7-1) in soft conditions.

Stradivarius was only the third horse in the Gold Cup's 213-year history, after Sagaro in the 1970s and four-time winner Yeats (2006-09), to complete a hat-trick in Ascot's flagship race.

Dettori punched the air in delight several times, put his hands together in the shape of a heart and raised three fingers.

He also performed his trademark flying dismount.

"Even with no crowd, I'm quite emotional. It's a very proud moment," said the 49-year-old.

"The rain this morning was against him, but I was surprised when I looked over my shoulder and everyone was in trouble and he just took off.

"Maybe we'll come back next year to try and equal Yeats' record.

"I have ridden some great horses, but he'll go down as one of the great stayers... I'm very proud of the horse, he's been phenomenal, he gives people so much joy."

Jockey Johnny Murtagh, who rode Yeats to victory in the last two Gold Cup triumphs, reckoned Stradivarius could equal the record four-win feat. "This lad could just do it," he told ITV Racing.

Gosden rejected the notion that Stradivarius was the best of an average group of stayers.

"He has beaten top-class horses throughout his career," said the 69-year-old. "He has heart and class, and I talked up the soft ground being against him so I could, as a trainer, have an excuse if he was beaten.

"I would like to take him to Goodwood and win a fourth Goodwood Cup and I would not be against running him in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

"We entered him in any case yesterday."

The rest of the Gold Cup field had few excuses, with the 2018 Melbourne Cup winner Cross Counter running on late to be third.

The biggest disappointment was the well-backed Technician.

The grey tracked Stradivarius. But, as they were about to turn into the home straight, champion jockey Oisin Murphy was already hard at work. He finished second-last.

REUTERS, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE