Gosden concerned about storm warning for hat-trick seeking Stradivarius in Cup

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In what will be a star-strewn week at Goodwood, few will have shone as brightly or for as long as Stradivarius, who attempts to extend his winning streak to eight with what would be a third straight success in this venerable race.

The Goodwood Cup has a history dating back to 1808 but it was only made a Group 1 in 2017, since when a single name has been engraved on its roll of honour.

Bookmakers can barely countenance any result other than a win for Stradivarius on his seemingly inexorable march to a second Weatherbys Hamilton Stayers' Million bonus but, while he cannot hide his admiration for this beautifully actioned son of Sea The Stars, trainer John Gosden has an anxious eye cast towards the skies.

"He's done brilliantly this year and we're happy with him coming into the race but we are concerned about the risk of storms and heavy rain," said Gosden.

"He's a horse who is at his best on top of the ground. He might have won on softer ground but that isn't his favourite. We are therefore a little nervous about the weather and we don't want thunderstorms to ruin everyone's picnics and the Goodwood ground."

The achievement of Stradivarius in successfully defending his Gold Cup crown may have got slightly lost amid the euphoria of Frankie Dettori's extraordinary four-timer, although the man himself was full of praise for his willing partner on the day.

All you need is love: Frankie Dettori thanks Stradivarius at AscotCredit: Edward Whitaker

And Gosden is expecting a thorough test of heart and stamina over this half-mile shorter trip.

"It has come up a proper race," he said. "The other Gold Cup horses have strong credentials, plus you have three of Aidan's in the field, so although they probably went a shade on the slow side in the Gold Cup I would imagine on this occasion someone will make it a proper gallop and a solidly run race."

Pros Stradivarius matched his career-high Racing Post Rating at Ascot last time and loves Goodwood.

Cons Less-favourable ground conditions could leave him vulnerable in this talented line-up.

Johnston relishing second bite with Dee Ex Bee

Stradivarius would be the first consecutive hat-trick hero in the history of the Goodwood Cup but Mark Johnston knows all about keeping a stayer in the kind of condition required to win the race three times, having produced Double Trigger to score in 1995, 1997 and 1998.

Dee Ex Bee gave Dettori the biggest scare of any in the Gold Cup and has just a length to find on Ascot running.

"He's A1 and I don't think we could have the horse in any better order," said Johnston's son and assistant, Charlie. "We're under no illusions over how difficult it will be to beat Stradivarius. Regardless of conditions or the opposition he finds a way to win so it will be tough. But we have only got a length to find on the Ascot form so we're looking forward to it."

Dee Ex Bee suffered a decisive reverse at the hands of Cross Counter at this meeting last year but arguably was not in great from during the second-half of 2018 and comes here in much better heart.

Pros Rejuvenated over staying trips this season and Goodwood should better suit the front-running tactics adopted at Ascot.

Cons Despite losing little in defeat, his Gold Cup effort means he's nought from six at Group 1 level.

Melbourne hero has trip and track to suit

As the first British-trained winner of the Melbourne Cup and a Group class performer on home turf, Cross Counter was always likely to have the Gold Cup on his agenda.

He cannot be said to have failed over the extra half mile through any palpable lack of stamina, but you suspect that with the figure of Stradivarius representing a significant bar to Cross Counter's progress in Europe, Charlie Appleby will have long had this race in mind as his best chance of dethroning the champion stayer.

Blue is the colour: an elated Kerrin McEvoy wins the Melbourne Cup on Cross CounterCredit: Michael Dodge (Getty Images)

"Cross Counter ran a very respectable race over two and a half miles in the Gold Cup, but dropping back to two miles in the Goodwood Cup is a positive," said Appleby. "Another positive is that he is the course record holder over a mile and a half at Goodwood, so he handles the course, while he came out of Ascot well.

"Stradivarius is a worthy champion stayer – he is unbeaten in the last 18 months – and it is a huge mountain to climb trying to beat him. But Cross Counter comes into the Goodwood Cup in good form and we'll give it a go."

Pros This relative speed test should play to his strengths much better than the Gold Cup.

Cons Been on the go for a while, having taken in Dubai World Cup night in between the Melbourne and Gold Cups.

What the other trainers say

Easterby confident of big run from unexposed Wells Farhh Go
A leading St Leger candidate last season before being ruled out with a stress fracture, Wells Farhh Go shrugged off a 311-day absence to score impressively over a mile and a half at Newmarket last month on what was still only his seventh career start.

"I was delighted with him at Newmarket and he’s come back good," said trainer Tim Easterby. "The ground is always decent at Goodwood so he should run very well. It won't matter how much rain they get, the softer the better. We're looking forward to it."

Dashing Willougby out to take advantage of allowance
Dashing Willoughby arrives with a similar profile to Stradivarius when he won his first Goodwood Cup back in 2017, having landed the same Royal Ascot prize, the Queen's Vase.

Oisin Murphy and Dashing Willoughby return to the Ascot winners' enclosureCredit: Edward Whitaker

In the interim he ran with a degree of credit to be fourth when dropped back in trip for the Princess Of Wales's Stakes and, while he has something to find on raw figures, he should be aided considerably by the 15lb weight-for-age allowance.

"He obviously stays well and I think the three-year-olds get a significant weight-for-age allowance which makes it attractive," said Balding. "He's in great form but it's a red-hot race – as it should be for the money and the status – so we hope he can get some prize-money."

Southern France heads three-strong O'Brien challenge
Southern France will be taking on Stradivarius for the second time having run John Gosden's crack stayer to three-quarters of a length in the Yorkshire Cup in May. The four-year-old, who was beaten in the Hardwicke Stakes and the Curragh Cup on his last two starts, is one of three runners for Aidan O'Brien, who won the race with Yeats in 2006 and 2008.

O'Brien, who is also represented by three-year-olds South Pacific and Harpo Marx, said: "Southern France is going back up in trip and hopefully that will suit him. He seems in good form.

"South Pacific won the King George V Handicap at Ascot where Harpo Marx ran quite well in the Queen's Vase. Both of them will be going up a good bit in distance but we've always thought they would stay longer trips than they've raced over so far."

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