WH Stayers' Million: Stradivarius a potential breed-shaper

‘The scenes after some of the epic performances of Double Trigger, Persian Punch and Yeats matched the excitement of the races themselves and all three left an indelible impression. If Stradivarius can match them in popularity, they’ll be putting up a statue somewhere to him too.’

A sneak preview of the essay on Stradivarius in Racehorses of 2018, and also a sneak preview of the recognition that John Gosden’s charge might be able to expect in the future, should he continue to sweep all before him in the staying division as he did last season.

The statues of Double Trigger, Persian Punch and Yeats – at Doncaster, Newmarket (Rowley Mile) and Ascot, respectively – were all hard earned over several years of competition in unquestionably the most punishing division that there is, but Stradivarius has quickly assembled a CV that merits him being mentioned in the same breath, and, thanks in no small part to his domination of the inaugural Weatherbys Hamilton Stayers’ Million, his career earnings already dwarf that of the aforementioned trio, as he prepares to kickstart his five-year-old campaign.

But, before looking ahead to what 2019 might bring, it is worth taking time to reflect on the remarkable feat achieved by Stradivarius in the latest season.

The wide variety in British racing has always been one of its great strengths, and much has been said over the years about the need to protect – and enhance – the programme of staying races in Britain. Therefore, when Weatherbys Hamilton announced at the beginning of last year that a new bonus scheme for stayers' worth £1 million was to be introduced, it was unsurprisingly well received, with Stradivarius’ trainer, John Gosden, echoing the same sentiments at his Clarehaven Stables on Monday.

‘It is a great idea, to promote the staying horse,’ he said. ‘The one thing we’ve been famous for in Europe for years is the lovely staying horse and people enjoy those races. You go to Royal Ascot and they really love it. Yes, you’ve got the fabulous sprints – the Norfolk, Queen Mary, King’s Stand and Diamond Jubilee – but there’s no doubt that people adore the staying races. They were going out of fashion, because the old owner-breeders who bred those horses were going extinct and the horses just weren’t there – people were breeding speed horses because that was what the market demanded. To that extent, it’s great that Weatherbys Hamilton have got behind it, to try and promote the staying programme.’

🗣️ "He's been in great form, had a great winter. The plan is we'll go hopefully for the Yorkshire Cup at @yorkracecourse."

John Gosden provides an update on 2018 @WbysHamilton Stayers’ Million Champion STRADIVARIUS. pic.twitter.com/CbuyHkK1lr

— Timeform (@Timeform) March 25, 2019

In 2018, the WH Stayers' Million was to be given to connections of a horse who won one of four races in May – the Sagaro Stakes at Ascot, the Ormonde Stakes at Chester, the Yorkshire Cup at York or the Henry II Stakes at Sandown – before going on to claim victory in each of the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot, the Goodwood Cup and the Lonsdale Cup at York. The prospects of a horse completing the necessary four-timer were, understandably, considered slim when the scheme was announced, with bookmakers offering odds of 20/1 against any horse winning it, with Stradivarius himself at 50/1.

Fast-forward to August 24^th of that year, though, and Stradivarius was as short as 11/4-on to land the Lonsdale Cup and bank the cash, having already swept all before him in the Yorkshire Cup, Ascot Gold Cup and Goodwood Cup. He duly got the job done with the minimum of fuss, and, when people think back to where the inaugural WH Stayers' Million was won and lost, it is unlikely to be that performance on the Knavesmire that they remember. Instead, it is the Ascot Gold Cup, a candidate for the race of the season in 2018, that will most likely be the enduring memory of Stradivarius’ historic campaign; it certainly was for jockey Frankie Dettori.

‘The Gold Cup was an amazing race,’ he recalls. ‘The three best stayers [French challenger Vazirabad and Sagaro winner Torcedor both finished within a length of Stradivarius] battled it out in the final furlong. It was a great race for people to see, and for me on top – he really showed his great attitude.’

Gosden concurs: ‘I think the Ascot Gold Cup was the defining moment for everyone, because any of those three horses could have won it in the last furlong – there’s nothing quite like a race that builds up like that. We were going into unknown territory, stepping up to two and a half miles, but he really got down low and dug deep under Frankie, who timed it to perfection.’

What a race! STRADIVARIUS wins the 2018 @Ascot Gold Cup for Frankie Dettori and John Gosden 🏆

(📽️ @itvracing)
pic.twitter.com/GvAtVVVwkZ

— TimeformLive (@TimeformLive) June 21, 2018

That ability to dig deep was again on evidence on Stradivarius’ final start in the Long Distance Cup back at Ascot on British Champions Day, when he was 8 lb shy of his best on Timeform ratings but still ground it out to beat Thomas Hobson by a length and a half. His fifth win from five starts that year, it was – ironically, for a race worth £500,000 in its own right – probably his least important success of them all, though it did see him become the first Gold Cup winner to go through the full season unbeaten since Pardallo in 1968.

So, what of the WH Stayers’ Million in 2019? There is one important change to make note of – there are now eight races that horses can use to kickstart their quest for the bonus, with Saturday’s Dubai Gold Cup at Meydan, the Vintage Crop Stakes at Navan in April, the Oleander-Rennen at Berlin-Hoppegarten in May and the Prix Vicomtesse Vigier at Longchamp later that month having been added to encourage more international participation. One thing is likely to remain the same, however, and that is that Stradivarius will continue to prove the one to beat, with Gosden reporting his charge to be in good form ahead of his possible return in a little over seven weeks’ time.

‘He’s in great order,’ the trainer confirms. ‘He’s just started cantering, building up in his preparation, and all being well we’ll go back to the Yorkshire Cup, which is never an easy race to win in its own right – don’t be looking too many hurdles ahead, you’ve got to jump the first! We’re hoping to play (for the bonus) again and we’ll certainly do our best.’

Gosden’s best has proved too good for his rivals on countless occasions in recent years, with the top-class performers Cracksman, Golden Horn, Kingman and Roaring Lion just a few of the other star names to have passed through his hands, not to mention Stradivarius’ contemporaries Enable and Too Darn Hot, both of whom could have similarly huge years ahead.

Champion two-year-old and short-priced 2000 Guineas favourite, TOO DARN HOT (@Timeform rated 127p) pictured before taking two turns up Warren Hill this morning @DiscoverNKT pic.twitter.com/mtA0JnNpXd

— Adam Houghton (@hought94) March 25, 2019

Derby and Arc hero Golden Horn even has a statue that takes pride of place in the centre of the yard at Clarehaven, but today is all about one horse, specifically the small chestnut – ‘As you can see, he’s a massive, strapping stayer,’ Gosden says, with tongue firmly in cheek, as the colt sidles up to him – who poses proudly for pictures in front of said-statue.

Whether Stradivarius will ever have a monument of his own, only time will tell. Time is certainly on his side if connections choose to make full use of it – Double Trigger (raced at the age of seven), Persian Punch (showed his best form aged 10) and Yeats (won the last of his four Gold Cups at eight) gained in popularity for their longevity as much as anything – but John Gosden’s charge is the one horse who doesn’t need to be told anything about timing.

Indeed, Stradivarius came along just when a flagbearer in the staying division was needed most, and, statue or not, a second WH Stayers’ Million could help to further redress the balance between speed and stamina in the future of the thoroughbred, a legacy that will last longer than any solid effigy ever could.