Stradivarius became only the third horse to win three successive Ascot Gold Cups, winning Thursday's Royal Ascot showpiece in stunning style under Frankie Dettori. Dettori and Stradivarius made light of the soft ground he supposedly despises to storm 10 lengths clear of long-time pacesetter Nayef Road to emulate Sagaro and Yeats. Dettori put his hands together in the shape of a heart and raised three fingers. "This is an amazing achievement," said Dettori, winning his eighth Gold Cup which was staged in unusual conditions with the meeting subject to a coronavirus pandemic crowd ban. "Only the third horse to win three. I was amazed to look round my shoulder and see everyone behind me under pressure with four furlongs to go. "I rode some great horses, this will go down as the best stayer I rode. I'm so proud of him, he has brought me such joy he wears his heart on his sleeve," said the Italian. Yeats went on to win a record four but Johnny Murtagh who rode him on the last two occasions said Stradivarius could equal that. "This lad could just do it," Murtagh told ITV Racing. Dettori punched the air in delight several times and performed a trademark flying dismount from the John Gosden-trained superstar. pi/nr