Stradivarius wins Ascot Gold Cup to stay eligible for rich bonus

Stradivarius gave legendary trainer John Gosden his first win in the Group 1 Ascot Gold Cup at the Royal Ascot meeting on Thursday.

The win could prove to be quite valuable by the end of the summer.

The win left Stradivarius halfway to a $1.32 million bonus for winning four marathon races in England. The series began with the Yorkshire Cup at York Racecourse last month and continues with the Goodwood Cup on July 31 and the Lonsdale Cup at York on Aug. 24.

Stradivarius won the $662,500 Ascot Gold Cup at 2 1/2 miles by three-quarters of a length over the brilliant French shipper Vazaribad, who finished a head in front of 14-1 Torcedor. Order of St George, who won the 2016 Gold Cup and was second in the 2017 Gold Cup, finished fourth.

Stradivarius and Order of St George were the 7-4 joint favorites.

Ridden by Frankie Dettori, Stradivarius stalked pacesetter Mount Moriah to the three-eighths pole, where Torcedor took the lead. Stradivarius quickly challenged Torcedor and took the lead more than a furlong from the finish.

Vazaribad, a 9-2 chance, had every chance to win his 14th group stakes but could not keep pace with Stradivarius.

Dettori has won six runnings of the Ascot Gold Cup, all since 1992.

Stradivarius, by Sea The Stars, has won 6 of 11 starts for owner and breeder Bjorn Nielsen. The Ascot Gold Cup was his second Group 1 win. Last August, Stradivarius won the Group 1 Goodwood Cup. He won the Group 2 Queen’s Vase Stakes at Royal Ascot in 2017.

Earlier on the six-race program, Shang Shang Shang gave American trainer Wesley Ward his 10th career win at Royal Ascot in the Group 2 Norfolk Stakes for 2-year-olds at five furlongs.

Shang Shang Shang, the only filly in a field of 10, led throughout under jockey Joel Rosario to win by a nose over 20-1 Pocket Dynamo. A 5-1 shot, Shang Shang Shang was Ward’s fifth starter at Royal Ascot this week and his first runner to finish in the first five.

“We had done all this planning, just as before, but it wasn’t coming through,” Ward said. “Thank God it did today. Barely.”

The narrow margin of victory left Ward concerned until the result of the photo was announced.

“I thought she had just done it, but you are never sure,” he said. “I wanted to wait until the announcement before believing it.”

Owned by Breeze Easy LLC, Shang Shang Shang, by Shanghai Bobby, is unbeaten in two starts. Purchased for $200,000 at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co. auction of 2-year-olds in training in March, Shang Shang Shang won her debut in a maiden race at Keeneland in April.

With the win, Shang Shang Shang earned a fees-paid berth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint at Churchill Downs on Nov. 2.

Magic Wand, who was fourth in the Group 1 English Oaks on June 1, won the Group 2 Ribblesdale Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/2 miles by four lengths over Wild Illusion, the 9-4 favorite, who was second in the English Oaks.