GOODWOOD, UK – Banner on Trundle Hill overlooking Goodwood says ‘Thank you Stradivarius’. Inside the racecourse, the message is repeated on branded flags, ready to beckon him on his way. But it seems Stradivarius is not for retirement. And get over that.
It is almost poetic, in a blood-like way, that two of the finest horses of the modern era, the half-brothers who won the Derby, will emerge in an epic battle. between their two sons for a race that is much more than just the Goodwood Cup.
For Stradivarius (Ire), son of Sea The Stars (Ire), Goodwood is in a way where it all started. Sure, he won races en route to his first Goodwood Cup win five years ago, 3 in fact, but in his first stint with the Group 1 company, he was attracted wider attention by passing up the chance to be fan favorite Big Orange (GB). Stradivarius returned, year after year, and famous as Persian Punch (Ire), to win four Goodwood Cups, until the weather gods stopped all that last July with a so great a force that he remained in his cage.
Now there’s a new kid on the block, half his age, and has done a great job this season to keep the name of late husband Galileo (Ire) lit. Kyprios (Ire), who was also an equally important totem for his Moyglare Stud breeder as they celebrated their 60th anniversary, is now undefeated in the 4 starts this year. He’s definitely the rising star in the lodgers’ galaxy, he now has an extra Goodwood Trophy to add to his Gold Cup. But in Goodwood, he’s also a pantomime villain.
It began with a round of applause that followed Stradivarius along the stands as he strode across the track to post. Then, back home, as he crouched and crept desperately searching for daylight through the herd, a roar rang out, with only one horse’s name on the lips of the crowd: “Go on, Strad.”
Continuing he did, his love of lions and the passionate cheers of thousands of people brought him to the top of the challenge in a short, narrow time. But Kyprios, who led the assault straight in, dug deep for the last attempt to be charged in the manner of the champion he was certain to be now.
Stradivarius has been there, has done it, but he certainly hasn’t. When he returned to the victor’s circle, he clearly considered being led to an unfamiliar position for the runner-up as part of it. The sudden shout and buck he gave off when he was clapped back seemed to say, “You didn’t see me out there, how did I try?”
Surely its owner, Bjorn Nielsen, did. Inevitably, much of the post-race fanfare focused on Stradivarius as well as on Kyprios, and Nielsen, clearly frustrated by the flags being broadcast around the racecourse heralding the hero’s retirement, was adamant in his assessment.
“He is running a great race. He could have won, he’d been hit in the neck, but he’s not going to stop there, I’ll just say. This is not his last race, as long as he gets through it well.”
As for future plans, Nielsen attended the Doncaster Cup, held on an Arena Racing Company track, and suggested York as the most likely next stop.
“There’s no bounty in Doncaster, so you can tell ARC that unless they double his bounty, he’ll never come back to Doncaster,” he said. “But it could be Lonsdale. Then the soft ground starts in October so it’s a bit more difficult, but see how he comes back. But I want to say that he will run again, despite all this ‘Thank you Stradivarius’. We’re not going to say goodbye, not when he’s at the top of the game and running like that today. “
The winner, with a trouble-free passage for the next 12 months, is sure to return next year. Just four, and the tenth child of the famous jewel Moyglare matriarch (Ire) (Danehill), Kyprios now has six wins to his light racing campaign to date and is a driving force for progress. for Moyglare and Coolmore partners.
Reflect on Polished Gem, the dam of eight black winners, including Kyprios Group 1 winners Looking for a Song (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and the Eagles of Freedom (Ire) ) (High Chaparral {Ire}), the breed of Moyglare Stud mentor Fiona Craig says, “She was amazing. I just told someone that there is never a skill to breed Polished Gems. Look at what she’s gone for, and look at what she’s produced. She’s just one of those mares that I think we can cross with anything. We built a relationship with Galileo but it obviously made sense when he was present and having her by Danehill’s side. We had four of Galileo’s children – Amma Grace, Falcon Eight, Search For A Song and now this horse. “
She added, “It was a great race. I think next year we’re going to have to come up with our own flags that say “Go on, Kyprios”. But Stradivarius is a good horse and he has nothing to lose in it. For a moment you thought he was going to be devoured but then he was right there, and so was Trueshan. There are a lot of players who stay in great training and I think Kyprios will continue.”
Indeed he will, and at least Stradivarius will continue with him.
