The king of racing has passed, long live the king of breeding. This title belongs to Stradivarius (b. 2014), a British thoroughbred racehorse who amassed an impressive £3,458,968 along with £2 million in bonuses throughout his racing career. Stradivarius achieved 20 victories out of 35 starts and concluded his career with a second-place finish in the Goodwood Cup in July 2022.
Unlike many thoroughbreds who have triumphed in prestigious races, Stradivarius is known as a stayer. His distinctive physique, strong heart, and exceptional endurance enabled him to triumph in highly challenging races, winning the admiration of countless fans. He was awarded the Cartier Champion Stayer title in 2018, 2019, and 2020.
Bjorn Nielsen, breeder and owner of Stradivarius
In October 2015, Bjorn Nielsen sent a yearling colt named Stradivarius to Tattersalls Auctions, hoping to sell him for 330,000 guineas. Fortunately for Nielsen, no one recognised the colt's potential, leading to Stradivarius being returned to his Watership Down Stables in County Tipperary, Ireland, before being sent to trainer John Gosden in Newmarket.
Bjorn Nielsen is the son of a Danish father and an African mother, and spent his childhood in Africa. As a young boy, he was captivated by the legendary African racehorse Sea Cottage (1962-1987), who won 20 of his 24 races. After his family relocated to Epsom, UK, during his teenage years, he had the opportunity to witness iconic figures like Lester Piggott and renowned trainer Noel Merlot preparing horses for the Derby. The excitement of the Derby inspired him to set a personal goal of breeding a Derby contender.
He devoted many years to studying the market, was a successful trader, and finally started his own business. As Nielsen himself says, he “spent years studying the pedigrees of horses to understand what combinations could produce a Derby winner.”
But as fate would have it, Bjorn Nielsen managed to bring out two of the strongest stayers on the planet instead of derbists.
The first was Assessor, Nijinsky's grandson, who won the Lingfield Derby Trial, Prix Royal-Oak, Yorkshire and Doncaster Cups, and the 1993 Prix du Cadran in the early 1990s.
A quarter of a century later, Stradivarius appeared and rocked the racing world with his performances.
Racing career of Stradivarius
Stradivarius was the son of Sea the Stars, who won several prestigious races in 2009, including the English Derby, and was ranked number one in the world thoroughbred rankings in 2009, and the great-great-grandson of Northern Dancer.
Stradivarius was expected to, at a minimum, repeat his father’s exploits. But the son decided to go his own way.
First Year (2016): Stradivarius made his competitive debut as a two-year-old and secured victory in the EBF Maiden Stakes at Newcastle, following earlier losses at Newmarket and Nottingham.
Second Year (2017): Entering his three-year-old season, Stradivarius achieved first place in the Beverley Handicap but finished second in the Chester Handicap. He then triumphed in the Queen's Vase at Ascot (Gr.2) and the Goodwood Cup Stakes (Gr.1), while also securing third in the St Leger Stakes (Gr.1). He narrowly placed second in the Qipco British Long Distance Champions Cup at Ascot (Gr.2).
Third Year (2018): Now a four-year-old, Stradivarius won the Yorkshire Cup Stakes (Gr.2) at York, ridden by Frankie Dettori. This was followed by a victory in the prestigious Ascot Gold Cup (Gr.1), another win in the Goodwood Cup Stakes (Gr.1), and a success in the Lonsdale Cup Stakes (Gr.2). He also claimed victory in the Qipco British Long Distance Champions Cup at Ascot (Gr.2), earning a £1 million bonus from Weatherbys Hamilton for winning four major races in a single season—a feat no horse had achieved before, catching the prize founders by surprise.
Fourth Year (2019): At five years old, Stradivarius reiterated his past successes; however, he finished second in the Champions Cup and claimed first in the Doncaster Cup Stakes (Gr.2). Weatherbys Hamilton initially dismissed his previous year's accomplishments as a fluke, but Stradivarius disproved their doubts by earning the prize money again, leading to the eventual retirement of the bonus.
Fifth Year (2020): During his six-year-old season, Stradivarius faced challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic but still managed to secure third in the Coronation Cup (Gr.1) at Newmarket, alongside his third triumph in the Gold Cup at Ascot and a fourth-place finish in the Goodwood Cup Stakes.
Sixth Year (2021): At age seven, he continued his winning streak, finishing first in the Sagaro Stakes (Gr.3), the Doncaster Cup Stakes (Gr.2), and the Lonsdale Cup Stakes (Gr.2). He placed second in the Prix du Cadran (Gr.1) at Longchamp and third in the Qipco British Long Distance Champions Cup (Gr.2), both times behind the French horse Troustan.
Seventh Year (2022): As an eight-year-old, John Gosden remained optimistic about Stradivarius's chances of winning the Ascot Gold Cup for a fourth time, given his impressive condition. Stradivarius achieved a third victory in the Yorkshire Cup Stakes (Gr.2), although he placed second in the Goodwood Cup Stakes (Gr.1) and third in the Ascot Gold Cup.
Ultimately, this marked the end of Stradivarius's illustrious career as a stayer, and he was retired to the National Stud in Newmarket.
Stradivarius' Jockey Friends
In the early stages of his career, Stradivarius was initially ridden by the young and passionate Rob Havlin in two junior races. At the 2017 St Leger, he finished in third place with jockey James Doll, while Robert Tart took the reins for the 2017 Beverley Handicap. Andrea Atzeni enjoyed three successful rides aboard Stradivarius, but the renowned Italian jockey Frankie Dettori had the longest partnership with the horse. Dettori is famously known for winning all seven races on a single day at the British Horse Racing Festival at Ascot in September 1996, a feat never duplicated before or since, resulting in the bookmakers’ largest loss in horse racing history—around £30 million. Although Dettori couldn't replicate that remarkable seven-race victory with Stradivarius, their collaboration yielded five Group 1 wins, including three Ascot Gold Cup victories, cementing their status as stars of the sport. Throughout their time together, Stradivarius and Dettori competed in 26 of their 35 races, securing 15 wins. However, John Gosden criticized Dettori for his performances in the Gold Cups of 2021 and 2022 when Stradivarius did not secure a win, ultimately opting to assign Andrea Atzeni to the horse. Despite this, Dettori bid a heartfelt farewell to Stradivarius when it was time for the horse to retire.
Saying goodbye to the horse, he called their racing “the journey of a lifetime”.
Breeding career
Remarkably, the fee for mating with Stradivarius is now set at £10,000, which pales in comparison to the costs associated with breeding pure-bred racehorses. In the racing industry, the emphasis is predominantly on speed, drawing the focus of trainers, owners, and the public alike. Unfortunately, the exceptional traits of stayers—like strength and endurance—do not receive the same level of appreciation.
It appears that Stradivarius may have emerged at a time when his talents were not fully recognised. As the industry continues to prioritize speed in breeding, there will inevitably come a point where physical limits of racehorses are reached. When that happens, the criteria for determining winners will shift to highlight strength and resilience in enduring heavy loads and long distances.
The genetic legacy of Stradivarius, preserved in his offspring, is poised to become a focal point of research, revealing its true value over time. Breeders who anticipate this shift are now pairing their mares with the esteemed champion; in his first year alone, Stradivarius covered 120 mares.
Bjorn Nielsen believes that Stradivarius possesses running abilities that surpass those of typical stayers, and continues to cultivate his breeding program by integrating this stallion into his farm's breeding efforts.