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CHAMPIONS DAY
British Champions Day: Stradivarius heads 56 entries for the Long Distance Cup
John Gosden's star stayer won the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot in June and took out the Goodwood Cup last month
STAR stayer Stradivarius heads 56 entries for the Long Distance Cup on QIPCO British Champions Day in October.
The four-year-old colt has already won the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot and the Goodwood Cup at Glorious Goodwood this season.
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The colt will scoop at £1,000,000 bonus if he wins the Lonsdale Cup at York later this month.
He could face off against Aidan O'Brien's Order Of St George, who won the Long Distance Cup last year and was fourth in the Gold Cup in June.
O'Brien said: "It was always the plan to give him a break after Ascot, just as we did last year.
"We could have run in the Goodwood Cup, but he'll now go for a prep for the Irish Leger and then try to win the Irish Leger for a third time. He's fresh and well and in good form.
British Champions Day fact file
- The winners of 77 Group 1s and 16 European Classics hold entries for British Champions Day
- It is the most expensive day in the British racing calendar with £4.35m in prize money
- Four of the world’s top six rated horses entered, including joint highest-rated horse in world, Poet’s Word
- Entries include top-rated three-year-old in Europe, Alpha Centauri, and leading sprinter Battaash
"After that, he could well repeat the same pattern as last year and go for the Arc on the way to Ascot, although we'd have to look at that nearer the time.
"Certainly, the QIPCO British Champions Long Distance Cup does look like it could be a target for him again after he won it last season."
O'Brien has 14 entries overall, including the Royal Ascot winners Hunting Horn and Kew Gardens.
Torcedor has pushed Stradivarius close this season and ran second in the Long Distance Cup last autumn.
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His trainer Jessica Harrington has confirmed the £500,000 Group 2 race will be his target again this term.
Harrington said: "Torcedor is very well after Goodwood, he’s all raring to go again. He’s been back cantering and I’m very happy with him.
"I’m not sure which way we’ll go now, either to York for the Lonsdale Cup or for the Irish Leger at the Curragh, but I’ve got time to do both if I want.
"I’m just going to wait and see. If he gets through that, then we’ve got Ascot to think about."
Champion jumps trainer Willie Mullins has made 16 entries including the likes of Renneti, Limini, Max Dynamite, Thomas Hobson and Wicklow Brave.
Charlie Fellowes has his sights set on Cup glory with Prince Of Arran