Stradivarius denies Big Orange as Atzeni rides four winners at Goodwood

Having already taken out two of the three earlier races on the card, success on the John Gosden-trained three-year-old denied race favourite Big Orange a record third successive victory in the two-mile race, which had been upgraded to Group One status.

Big Orange, ridden by Frankie Dettori, was looking to become the first horse in Goodwood’s 205-year history to win the £500,000 race three years in a row. However the 26-year-old Italian jockey came through in the closing stages on Stradivarius to finish ahead of Big Orange in second and Desert Skyline in third.

All three of the festival’s opening Group races belonged to Atzeni, with the victories of Expert Eye in the Vintage Stakes, Breton Rock in the Lennox Stakes and Stradivarius being followed by victory for Shenanigan in the handicap finale.

Big Orange set the early pace and led the way for the majority of the Goodwood Cup, but with history beckoning he visibly began to tire in the last two furlongs as Atzeni pulled Stradivarius through to power home and win by a length and three-quarters.

Speaking afterwards, trainer Gosden added: “He’s not the biggest of horses and it was a bit rough on the first bend. He didn’t panic and it opened up for us. He’s a lovely little horse.”

Having already steered Eagle Eye to victory in the Vintage Stakes by a four and a half length margin, Atzeni caused a shock in the Lennox Stakes as outsider Breton Rock came from last to first to win.

Limato hit the front a furlong out and looked like collecting victory, before fading inside the final 50 yards as David Simcock’s seven-year-old swept down the outside, beating Home Of The Brave in second by half a length and Suedois in third.

Tomorrow (Wednesday) will see a proverbial ‘Duel on the Downs’ at Goodwood as Ribchester and Churchill go head-to-head in the day’s feature race, the £1m Sussex Stakes.