Stradivarius not entered in the Doncaster Cup with plans up in the air

Stradivarius has not been entered in Friday’s Group 2 Doncaster Cup, a contest he won in both 2019 and 2021, with plans for John and Thady Gosden’s talismanic stayer up in the air.

Owner Bjorn Nielsen had said last week that the Town Moor contest or next Sunday's Irish St Leger were in the mix for the eight-year-old, who was an absentee from the Group 2 Lonsdale Cup at York last month with a bruised foot.

Since then, Stradivarius has been confined to light exercise, mainly trotting in the yard at Clarehaven, and it looks unlikely he will be in action next weekend.

Joint-trainer Thady Gosden said: “Stradivarius has not been entered for the Doncaster Cup this morning.”

Bjorn Nielsen previously stated that Stradivarius could race on next yearCredit: Edward Whitaker

Stradivarius is not entered for a possible rematch with Kyprios in Ireland, but Nielsen was willing to pay a €50,000 supplement fee to add him to the field.

Beyond that, the chestnut is entered in the Group 2 Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup at Ascot on October 15, a race he won in 2018.

A crack at the Classic would have been a first Irish outing for the three-time Group 1 winner who has twice come unstuck against Kyprios this season.

Frankie Dettori lost the ride on the son of Sea The Stars on account of his third to the Irish ace at Royal Ascot in June and was replaced by Andrea Atzeni.

That pair were beaten a neck by Kyprios in the Group 1 Goodwood Cup in July, which at the time had been nominated as the third of a final trilogy of outings for Stradivarius, who holds the record for most Group wins by a horse trained in Europe, before retirement.

However, Nielsen stated afterwards that the intention was to carry on, and said it was "a possibility" that he would carry on racing at nine.

Trueshan, who was withdrawn from the Lonsdale Cup shortly before the race because of unsuitably quick ground, is among 12 entries for the Doncaster Cup.

The unbeaten Isaac Shelby, last seen winning the Superlative Stakes at Newmarket in July and as short as 14-1 for next year's Qipco 2,000 Guineas, will not appear in the Coral Champagne Stakes next weekend. The Brian Meehan-trained colt will instead be aimed at the Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere at Longchamp on October 2 or the Darley Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket six days later.

Doncaster Cup entries

Coltrane Andrew Balding
Get Shirty David O'Meara
Haizoom Keith Dalgleish
Island Brave Heather Main
Lismore Henry de Bromhead
Moliwood Dylan Cunha
Reshoun Ian Williams
Search For A Song Dermot Weld
Single Mick Channon
Stratum Willie Mullins
Thunderous Charlie and Mark Johnston
Trueshan Alan King

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