Going for Gold: Johnston gunning for Stradivarius with 'dream stayer' Dee Ex Bee

Three-time Gold Cup-winning trainer Mark Johnston has described Dee Ex Bee, his latest candidate for the Ascot marathon, as having the profile of a "dream stayer" as he mapped out plans for last year's Derby runner-up leading to a showdown with Stradivarius at next month's royal meeting.

Johnston has seen 17 years pass since Royal Rebel gave him his last success in the Royal Ascot feature but he believes Dee Ex Bee is tailor-made for the job and he will follow a tried-and-trusted route to the big race on June 20 in Thursday's Group 3 Matchbook-backed Henry II Stakes at Sandown.

"If I go back to one of the years Royal Rebel won the Gold Cup, I had five in the Henry II Stakes that year and won it with Akbar," said Johnston.

"Back in those days I was a huge believer in giving these Gold Cup horses a couple of runs and we do think if Dee Ex Bee wasn't running in the Henry II Stakes he would need to be doing some fairly serious work to ensure he was 100 per cent for the Gold Cup. Our inclination at the moment is to run."

A top price of 12-1 with SkyBet and William Hill for the Gold Cup, Dee Ex Bee brings Classic form to the staying division having finished second in the Derby and fourth in last year's St Leger, and kicked off this season with an authoritative win in the Sagaro Stakes at Ascot when stepping up to two miles for the first time.

While the staying division has an unquestionable star in last year's Gold Cup winner Stradivarius, Johnston thinks Dee Ex Bee has the profile to become a major force and upset the current pecking order.

The trainer, who first won the Gold Cup with Double Trigger in 1995, added: "No taking anything away from Stradivarius at York over what probably wasn't his optimum trip, but Dee Ex Bee has clearly got the background form.

"He was a Group 1-class three-year-old and that's exactly what you're looking for. It's more likely to be a horse like him that's going to challenge the older horses than an exposed stayer. Your dream stayer is a horse like Dee Ex Bee who was placed in the Leger."

Owned by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, Dee Ex Bee will be joined in the Henry II Stakes by Chester Cup-winning stablemate Making Miracles and progressive handicapper Austrian School, who also holds a Gold Cup entry.

Johnston, who has trained more winners in Britain than any other trainer past or present, said: "Austrian School has a lot of class and is getting there, while Making Miracles is also getting there slowly, but of the three Dee Ex Bee is the proven class horse."

Potential rivals in Thursday's 2m contest include last year's impressive winner Magic Circle, Group 2 winner Pilaster and Vintage Crop Stakes winner Master Of Reality for Joseph O'Brien.

Johnston will also be represented in the other Group 3 on the Sandown card, with Matterhorn likely to be the stable's representative in the Matchbook Brigadier Gerard Stakes, while stablemate Dark Vision is bound for the Listed Matchbook-backed Heron Stakes.

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