Ridden by 50-year-old Joe Fanning, Dubai Gold Cup winner Subjectivist kicked clear with two furlongs to go. A pack behind the leader bunched together, which blocked Dettori’s route, and the 5/6f ended the race in 4th place.
Fanning rode such a dominant race; his fellow jockeys congregated outside the weighing room to give him a round of applause.
Trainer Mark Johnson said of Fanning: “We really saw him at his best there; I don’t think there’s anybody better than Joe Fanning, he’s absolutely perfect at setting the pace. Perfect pace all the way round.”
Speaking about Stradivarius failed attempt to equal Yeats record, Johnson said: “It’s a sad day for Stradivarius. I know what it feels like when a champion goes under, but it had to happen one day.”
It is Johnsons fourth Gold Cup win. Double Trigger claimed the Gold Cup, and there were two wins for Royal Rebel in 2001 and 2002.
Stradivarius’ jockey Dettori said: “I ran into a pocket turning for home. When you get stopped in a two-and-half-mile race, you never get going again. The winner’s a good winner, but I’d love to have had another shot at it.”
In the Prince of Wales’s Stakes, Love, ridden by Ryan Moore dug deep to see off the challenge of Audarya to claim first place. It was a win that was Aidan O’Brien’s 75th career victory at the meet.
The 11/10f Guineas and Oaks victor finished three-quarters of a length of the J R Fanshawe trained Audarya. Love’s stablemate Armory finished a further three-quarters behind. My Oberon finished fourth with 25/1 shot. Desert Encounter finishing fifth.
O’brien said of the horse, “We knew she was going to come on a lot for the run. She’s very genuine and very brave.” In other news on the day, Laura Pearson made history. Her win in the Kensington Palace Stakes was only the fourth time a woman had won at Royal Ascot. Following in the footsteps of Gay Kelleway, Hayley Turner and Hollie Doyle, her horse Lola Showgirl was one of the highest-priced winners @ 12/1.
And although Frankie Dettori missed out on the Gold Cup, he did emulate Aidan O’Brien’s 75 wins. His ride Indie Angel claimed the Duke of Cambridge Stakes, giving the jockey his 75th win at Royal Ascot. The horse was a 22-1 outsider trained by John and Thady Gosden.
Indie Angel beat the W Jarvis trained Lady Bowthorpe by 2½L, the favourite, Queen Power (11/4), finished in third.
