'I'm very proud of the horse and he took off in the straight. I've ridden some great horses and he's one of the great stayers'

Stradivarius made it three Gold Cups in sensational style, galloping his rivals into the ground and coming home in splendid isolation to cement his status as the standout stayer of his generation.

Frankie Dettori knew what was going to happen before everyone else. Turning for home he took a good look around on the staying superstar. He knew he had those in front covered. He soon learned those behind were too.

With half a furlong to run the flamboyant jockey was already celebrating. At the line he had the best part of ten lengths on his field, the 4-5 favourite ten lengths clear of Nayef Road with Cross Counter a further three adrift as he decimated the field.

Yeats and Sagaro were the only other horses to have won racing's greatest staying prize more than twice. That spoke to how difficult the task has proved over the years. Yet Stradivarius made winning three on the bounce look so simple.

"It's an amazing achievement," said a delighted Dettori. "The rain this morning was against him but he did it well. I'm very proud of the horse and he took off in the straight. I've ridden some great horses and he's one of the great stayers."

That he is one of the great stayers is already beyond doubt, and he has been expertly handled by his trainer John Gosden. He would likely have won a third Gold Cup anyway, such was his superiority here, but without that run at Newmarket 13 days ago would he have been anything like as impressive?

It is impossible to say for sure, but given how lazily he has raced in the past, how he has only appeared to do what was needed, the mile and a half of the Coronation Cup in which he was beaten by Ghaiyyath and Anthony Van Dyck seemed to have lit the fire within.

Here Stradivarius travelled better than usual. There was no heart in mouth moment before he finally got on top. Here he proved what deep down we knew – even when winning by three quarters of a length two years ago and a length last year – he is simply in a different league as a stayer.

He may yet get the chance to prove that class at a mile and a half in Europe's richest race as his trainer hinted at a possible clash with Enable in her season-defining attempt for a third Arc win.

Gosden said: "His favourite ground is good to firm but he has the heart and class to win on any ground. I'll have nothing against it if Bjorn Nielsen want to run him in the Arc."

Stradivarius's fellow club members Sagaro 1975-77

Sagaro was the first and, until Yeats came along more than 30 years later, only member of the three-time winner club. Owned by Gerry Oldham and trained by Francois Boutin, Sagaro was partnered in all three of his Gold Cup victories at Royal Ascot by Lester Piggott. Oldham was to say of his great stayer that "champions like him don't come along often." He was right. The old warrior is still warmly remembered with the Sagaro Stakes, usually run at Ascot, but which this year took place at Newcastle.

Yeats 2006-09

Coolmore's greatest stayer, trained of course by Aidan O'Brien, was to not only match Sagaro but trump him with four victories in the endurance test to end them all. Kieren Fallon, Mick Kinane and Johnny Murtagh (twice) were the stars of the saddle who enjoyed winning the Gold Cup on Yeats, with Murtagh having the privilege of riding into the record books with Yeats when, as a eight-year-old, he took apart his rivals in 2009 by three and a half lengths and up. He now stands at Castlehyde Stud.

Courtesy Racingpost.com