Stradivarius wins Gold Cup as Frankie Dettori claims 60th Royal Ascot winner

Stradivarius claimed victory in a thrilling renewal of the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot.

Trained by John Gosden and ridden by Frankie Dettori, the four-year-old was a 7-4 joint-favourite as he stepped up to two and a half miles for the first time in his career.

Torcedor led the field into the home straight ahead of Stradivarius, French challenger Vazirabad and 2016 Gold Cup hero Order Of St George, the other 7-4 joint-favourite, and it was Stradivarius who came home best.

Stradivarius was bidding for his second Royal Ascot success, having won the Queen's Vase at last year's meeting.

The four-year-old was beaten a length into third place by Order Of St George in the Long Distance Cup at Ascot last October, but a winning return in last month's Yorkshire Cup suggested he could be an improved performer this season.

With Order Of St George under a pressure a long way from home on this occasion and eventually finishing fourth, Stradivarius travelled strongly for much of the way and saw out the extra distance well to score by three-quarters of a length.

Vazirabad just beat Torcedor to the runner-up spot by a head.