Strong ante-post fancy Kew Gardens set to miss Gold Cup clash with Stradivarius

Aidan O'Brien has revealed that star stayer and 2018 St Leger winner Kew Gardens will miss the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot next Thursday.

The dual top-level winner was considered the main threat to Stradivarius in the 2m4f contest at Royal Ascot and was priced up as the general 4-1 second favourite, but O'Brien decided not to enter him on Friday morning.

Stradivarius, who will be bidding for a third win in the race, is one of nine entered.

Gold Cup entries

O'Brien said: "We just weren't 100 per cent happy with him this morning so we have decided to bypass Royal Ascot."

Kew Gardens (left): denies Stradivarius in a gripping Long Distance Cup tussleCredit: Alan Crowhurst

Kew Gardens was last seen in the Long Distance Cup on Champions Day in October, when he ended Stradivarius's ten-race unbeaten streak with a nose success over the John Gosden-trained superstar.

That took his record to two wins from two starts at Ascot and O'Brien would have been hoping he could retain that unblemished record in the Gold Cup, which the master of Ballydoyle has won a record seven times.

Stradivarius is now a long odds-on favourite to record the hat-trick despite finishing third behind Ghaiyyath in the Coronation Cup on his reappearance at Newmarket last week.

Among his rivals at Ascot could be Cross Counter, Technician and Prince Of Arran. With Kew Gardens an absentee, Ryan Moore now rides Nayef Road, winner of the Sagaro Stakes last weekend.

Day three entries revealed

A total of 184 entries have been made in total for Thursday's seven races at Royal Ascot. A classy Wolferton Stakes line-up of 26 includes Sir Dragonet, Dubai Warrior, Bangkok and Regal Reality.

Royal Ascot Thursday entries

A total of 26 have been entered in the Jersey, including the highly regarded King Leonidas, with Frankie Dettori booked.

The Chesham has attracted 19 entries, although only four runners have managed to win this season. Elsewhere, the Sandringham has drawn 23 entries, the Britannia 42 while the added Golden Gates handicap – for three-year-olds and run over 1m2f – has attracted 39.

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