Stradivarius claims his one million pound bonus

Stradivarius scooped the inaugural Weatherbys Hamilton Stayers' Million bonus when completing a clean sweep of the series with a famous victory in the Lonsdale Cup at York.

Winner of the Yorkshire Cup, Ascot Gold Cup and Goodwood Cup, the top-class stayer, owned by Bjorn Nielsen, landed the bonus for connections with a performance that was full of guts and determination.

It may not have been straightforward for the 4-11 favourite, but the John Gosden-trained four-year-old ultimately got the upper hand in the final furlong to beat his old rival Count Octave in the hands of Frankie Dettori.

Petitioner, wearing the Nielsen second colours, set a sensible gallop until the turn for home, where Count Octave took over.

Stradivarius took some time to find his feet, but he knuckled down to his task and once he hit the front at the furlong pole, he kept up the gallop to beat Count Octave by a length and half.

Aidan O'Brien's Idaho was four and a half lengths away in third place.