Stradivarius has been making headlines since 2017 and if this extraordinary eight-year-old wins the G1 Gold Cup (3991m) at Royal Ascot for a fourth time on Thursday (16 June), the headlines will be more vociferous still and the applause even louder.

Expected to be his penultimate race before a stud career, Stradivarius’ current record stands at 20 wins from 33 starts, many of those being gruelling stamina tests where courage and determination are as crucial as innate ability.

Things have not always gone his way, including in last year’s Gold Cup, when he finished fourth. Co-trainer John Gosden blamed that defeat mostly on ‘tactical issues’, also contending that Stradivarius is much happier competing on a fast surface.

With sunny skies over Ascot and fast ground assured, plus with facts and figures from last month’s G2 Yorkshire Cup (2771m) win suggesting that he can still deliver stunning performances there is a flavour of confidence coming from Newmarket’s Clarehaven Stables.

Gosden says of the current wellbeing of Stradivarius: “He is vociferous and shouting, still loving his work, and he’s up to running a massive race in the Gold Cup.”

The 71-year-old trainer with more than 3,000 wins, comments on the approach Stradivarius seems to have at the racecourse these days: “He’s an old pro now. He doesn’t want to have a huge amount to do in his races but on the other hand he doesn’t want to get there too soon.” 

Frankie Dettori, who has won 15 times on Stradivarius, will have to play it just right tomorrow especially with such stern opposition including the up-and-coming Aidan O’Brien-trained staying star Kyprios.

O’Brien has won seven out of the past 16 Gold Cups and Kyprios is a four-year-old chestnut colt who has made a mighty impression on his two starts this season, demolishing his opponents first in the Listed Vintage Crop Stakes (2800m) at Navan in April and then in the G3 Levmoss Stakes (2800m) at Leopardstown in May.

Both of those races were over 14 furlongs and there is a long way further to travel at Ascot, leading O’Brien to comment of Ryan Moore’s mount: “The trip is unknown, but he is bred to stay very well. And he’s relaxed so we think he’ll get it. He has class and handles fast ground just fine.”

Another Irish-trained contender who will be respected is Joseph Sheridan’s mount Princess Zoe – who despite being an outsider in this race last year – ran a cracker to finish second to Subjectivist before advertising her more recent well-being when courageously winning Ascot’s G3 Sagaro Stakes (3190m) in April.

Potentially the biggest threat of all to Stradivarius is Trueshan. Unbeaten in two starts at Ascot, the six-year-old has proven stamina. His career highlight came when he had Stradivarius four and a half lengths behind him in October’s G1 Prix du Cadran (4000m) at Longchamp, and this eleven times winner on the Flat can currently boast a rating even superior to that of Stradivarius with the one issue being that of the ground conditions.

Trainer Alan King will need to be satisfied that the surface is easy enough before letting this formidable galloper take part on Thursday. If so, Trueshan could give the brilliant Hollie Doyle – already a winner at Royal Ascot this week on board Bradsell in the G2 Coventry Stakes (1200m) – a first victory in one of Royal Ascot’s most iconic races.