WRITE UP THERE
Ghost excites Cox
CLIVE COX is confident his unbeaten QIPCO 2000 Guineas hope Ghostwriter can run a big race in the mile Classic after a sparkling racecourse gallop.
The son of Invincible Spirit won all three of his starts during his juvenile campaign, culminating in an emphatic victory on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket in the Group Two Royal Lodge Stakes.
With that experience under the colt’s belt, Cox was happy to forego an early-season trial in favour of a pipe-opener at Kempton, with Ghostwriter – a general 14-1 shot to claim the scalp of Aidan O’Brien’s odds-on favourite City Of Troy on May 4 reported to have thrived over the winter.
“I’m very happy with Ghostwriter and he has his Newmarket course form,” said Cox (right).
“I’m very pleased he has done exceptionally well over the winter and we will be going there with a racecourse gallop under his belt.
“He’s done very well and that is why he hasn’t run in a trial.
“He’s been to Kempton and he’s a very athletic, cleanwinded horse and we think that will have benefitted him far more than racing on testing ground, with his previous experience at Newmarket hopefully holding him in good stead.” Another star juvenile for the Beechdown Stables team last season was the Kennet Valley-owned Dragon Leader, beaten just once in five starts in 2023.
Big victories at York and Redcar sandwiched a near miss in a valuable Doncaster event and Cox is considering stepping the son of El Kabeir up in trip this term.
“Last year he was looking like seven furlongs would help him and I would be very hopeful he will get a mile,” added Cox.