The Goodwood Cup sees seven horses declared for this season's renewal as leading Stayer Stradivarius looks to create history by becoming the first ever horse to win four renewals of the Group One event.
The six year old has been the poster boy for the UK staying division for the last three seasons landing 10 races in a row including winning a Weatherbys-sponsored £1million bonus in the last two seasons after landing the Yorkshire Cup, Ascot Gold Cup, Goodwood Cup and Lonsdale Cup at York.
Stradivarius lost his unbeaten record, that stretched back to May 2018, when being pipped in a photo finish on Champions Day at Ascot in the Long Distance Cup by the Aidan O'Brien trained Kew Gardens.
He came back this season and had a prep run in the Group One Coronation Cup where he ran to a good standard finishing third and gave him the run he needed to go and win his third Ascot Gold Cup.
What a champion! Three Gold Cups for Stradivarius! 🏆🏆🏆 @FrankieDettori#RoyalAscot @Ascot pic.twitter.com/XuYeQAWkhY
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) June 18, 2020
After joining the likes of Double Trigger and Yeats after landing the Gold Cup, he is now looking to make his own history at the Sussex track by becoming the first ever horse to win four renewals of the race.
The six year old will have to be at his best though as he will face six other runner including Irish Derby winner Santiago who has also shown his versatility over further when taking the Queen's Vase over 1 mile 6 furlongs at Royal Ascot.
Mark Johnston is set to field his second to Stradivarius at Ascot with Nayef Road, who although running well was still acres behind the champion and will need to be better than that run to go close.
Eagles By Day for David O'Meara has a chance at being entered after a bright staying performance at York and he could be joined by the versatile Who Dares Wins for Alan King.
Jim Goldie’s Euchen Glen and the David Simcock-trained Spanish Mission are the other contenders.