Cindy's Horse Racing Website Index

Stradivarius seeks fourth straight Ascot Gold Cup

Date: 5/13/2021

There have been many horses that will live long in the memory for many racing fans and Royal Ascot always provides a great venue for the best horses in the world to race one another. The US will again be heading over, with Wesley Ward always having a strong team and also normally getting on the scoresheet. 2021 is likely to be no different with US fans also getting involved on the event with markets set to open up on the sites listed at www.us-bookies.com. This also comes as sports betting continues to be legalized in different states, so the market is only going to grow further. However, all eyes are set to be on the stayers, with Stradivarius going to search of a remarkable fourth Ascot Gold Cup in succession.

The horse will of course be looking to emulate the great Yeats in becoming a four-time winner of the race and there is no doubting he goes into the race as the clear horse to beat. He won his first back in 2018, when he produced a battling performance up the Ascot straight to win by just under a length from the French-trained Vazirabad, with a head back to the third, Torcedor.

The following year and Stradivarius returned as the short priced favourite to take the victory but many believed he was set to be beaten. However, that was far from the case, as he travelled strongly and was struggling to get a clear run from over two furlongs out. That did not matter, as he switched out wide and made strong headway to take up the running from just over one furlong out and stayed on powerfully to win by just over a length from Dee Ex Bee. That was also a seventh victory in succession for the horse at the time, as he continued his remarkable form at the top of the sport.

Three further victories followed but the horse was then beaten and then again in his prep for a third victory in the race. Despite this, there were still strong expectations that he was going to take the world of beating again in the race. The ground did go against him on the day, and he also drifted in the betting but produced his career best performance to date. This saw him travel ominously well throughout, before making smooth headway from three furlongs out and kicking clear to win so impressively by 10 lengths. It was one of the great Royal Ascot performances and it stamped him down as a true great.

Stradivarius was since beaten on his last three starts of his previous season but following a 193 day break has returned with a victory at Ascot in the Group 3 Sagaro Stakes. He will now be looking to build on this and is expected to take all the beating again and emulate Yeats in becoming a four-time winner of the race.

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