Nielsen retains faith in Stradivarius

Stradivarius owner Bjorn Nielsen expects the seven-year-old to shine again in the Weatherbys Hamilton Lonsdale Cup at York next week but hinted retirement could loom if he fails. 

Nielsen's charge has won the Lonsdale Cup twice previously, in 2018 and 2019, and he is set to run in the Group 2 contest again a week on Friday, where he will likely line up alongside Goodwood Cup winner Trueshan and Yorkshire Cup hero Spanish Mission.

Stradivarius disappointed when finishing fourth after being sent off as the favourite for the Gold Cup at Ascot in June and was then pulled out on the morning of the Goodwood Cup because of the soft ground.

And there will be more question marks over his future if he struggles to make an impact at York next week.

But Nielsen is confident Stradivarius, who has never been beaten at York, will get back to winning ways — especially if he gets his desired good or good to firm conditions.

He told the Racing Post: "I don't think it's a question of other horses beating him. He's seven now, but as long as he's still got it, he's going to win. 

"York is the one place we've always had the good, or good to firm, ground Stradivarius prefers and he's never been beaten there.

"The day he's beaten when he has his conditions, that will probably be it, but from what I hear he's still full of it. 

"Frankie [Dettori] and John [Gosden] have told me how well he's been working, so I hope it can last for a few more races."

St Mark's Basilica leads Juddmonte International entries

Aidan O'Brien's St Mark's Basilica heads a list of nine confirmations for the Juddmonte International at York on Wednesday.

The horse has had a superb season, winning the French 2,000 Guineas and French Derby before taking the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown last month.

O'Brien will be hoping the colt can bring him his seventh victory in the race, while he also has a couple of other contenders for the Group 1, as fillies Love and Joan Of Arc are among the nine as well.

Love had been unbeaten in four races before finishing third in the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot last month, while Joan Of Arc, who won the French Oaks in June, was third last time out in the Nassau at Goodwood three weeks ago.

John and Thady Gosden's Mishriff, who was third in the Eclipse and second in the King George, is another on the list of confirmations for the race, along with the Andrew Balding-trained Alcohol Free, who has already won the Coronation Stakes and the Sussex Stakes this season.

William Haggas has a couple of runners in the shape of Alenquer and Mohaafeth, while Juan Elcano for Kevin Ryan and Jim Bolger's Mac Swiney make up the entrants.

Probert makes it six in a row

David Probert's stunning winning run continued at Ffos Las on Thursday when he followed up his five victories in a row there on Wednesday with success onboard Hey Teacher in the opening Cazoo Search Drive Smile Novice Median Auction Stakes.

The Welsh jockey was victorious in the last five races at the Carmarthenshire venue on Wednesday and then picked up where he left off by easing the horse past his three rivals over the mile-and-a-half distance on Thursday.

Probert played down his achievement somewhat aftewards. He said: "It was just an easy canter for him.

"It's been going good. I've been lucky enough to have been riding some nice horses over the last couple of days."

Gosden glee at Megallan's return to form

Thady Gosden was delighted to see Megallan "back to himself" after an impressive win in the D & N Construction Sovereign Stakes at Salisbury.

The colt, who was second behind Hurricane Lane in the Dante Stakes in May, bounced back from a disappointing run in the French Derby in June, where he finished 12th, to secure victory in the Group 3 contest at Salisbury on Thursday, seeing off Sir Busker by a length.

Gosden said: "It's great to see him back to himself today and winning a Sovereign Stakes. 

"He showed he has the speed for a mile, but he also stays a mile and a quarter, so we'll see where we go from here."