Tag Archive for: Ghostwriter

Ghostwriter to fly the flag for Philippart de Foy

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Kevin Philippart de Foy is keen to make new recruit Ghostwriter a “high-profile flagbearer” in his role as principal trainer to Amo Racing.

The Belgian handler replaced Raphael Freire in the Freemason Lodge hotseat for Kia Joorabchian’s operation and could have the ideal candidate to help make his mark after the Hardwicke Stakes third was transferred from Clive Cox to the training centre that is the former home of Sir Michael Stoute.

Last seen when rearing over and subsequently being withdrawn from the Princess of Wales’s Stakes at Newmarket, Philippart de Foy is eager to show patience with the high-class four-old and said: “Ghostwriter is a really exciting horse, Clive has done an excellent job with him and now we just need to carry on that work.

Trainer Kevin Philippart De Foy has plenty to look forward to
Trainer Kevin Philippart De Foy has plenty to look forward to (Mike Egerton/PA)

“There will be some exciting winter targets and he is a horse that is probably going to be travelling over the winter and into next year as well.

“The idea for him is to become that high-profile flagbearer for the yard. We’re just going to let him settle in and get used to surroundings and take our time with him.

“He’s a highly-talented horse and we want to do everything right by him and once he tells us he’s ready to run, we’ll get him to the races.”

As well as Ghostwriter, Philippart de Foy has also seen some other high-profile Amo names join him at Freemason Lodge, including Coronation Stakes fourth Cathedral and the unraced two-year-old Partying, who have both been switched from the care of Ralph Beckett.

Kia Joorabchian has installed Kevin Philippart de Foy as his trainer at Freemason Lodge
Kia Joorabchian has installed Kevin Philippart de Foy as his trainer at Freemason Lodge (Mike Egerton/PA)

Cathedral will have her first outing for her new trainer in Sandown’s Atalanta Stakes later this month.

“She’s a filly which will probably go to Sandown for the Atlanta at the end of the month, then we will take it from there,” said Philippart de Foy.

“She showed she is very good over a mile in the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot and then might not have stayed the extra furlong in France last time when the ground was a bit slow that day.

“We’ll bring her back to a mile on faster conditions and she has arrived in great shape.”

Partying, who is a Frankel filly out of Royal Ascot winner Aljazzi, was the most expensive yearling sold at the prestigious Tattersalls Book One sale last October and brought the hammer down at 4.4million guineas.

She is envisaged to begin her racing career later in the year, when Philippart de Foy hopes she will live up to her name and give connections cause for huge celebration.

“She’s a very exciting filly to be training,” he continued.

“She comes with a big price-tag, but she’s a great-moving filly and has a very good mind.

Partying was sold for 4.4million guineas at Tattersalls
Partying was sold for 4.4million guineas at Tattersalls (Tattersalls)

“We’re not asking too many questions at the moment, but it’s so far so good and she’s a really exciting filly going forward.

“We’ll look to get her on track towards the back end of the year and hopefully she can deliver and prove to be another exciting prospect for Amo.”

On his move across Newmarket to his new home, Philippart de Foy added: “I couldn’t be happier and you can’t complain when you are training out of Freemason Lodge.

“Training for Amo Racing is a real privilege and I’m delighted with how things have started. It’s been a smooth transition and hopefully it’s going to be an exciting couple of months coming up.

“When you start training these are the type of horses you are always targeting training and when I started five years ago I could only dream of training these types, so I’m obviously delighted but I have just got to deliver now.”

Ghostwriter taken for observation after ‘freak’ pre-race accident

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Ghostwriter was taken to Newmarket Equine Hospital for further observation after rearing up in the pre-parade ring prior to his planned appearance in the Princess of Wales’s Stakes.

Bought by Kia Joorabchian’s Amo Racing operation for £2million on the eve of Royal Ascot, Clive Cox’s stable star made a promising start for his new connections when third in the Hardwicke Stakes.

The four-year-old was set to go off the hot favourite for the Group Two feature on day one of the July meeting, but had to be withdrawn after a ‘freak’ pre-race spill.

Cox said: “It was a freak accident, we hadn’t even done the girths up, we’d just put the pads on him and I’m not even sure what startled him really.

“He reared up and lost his footing and sat right on his rump behind. He was definitely lame as a consequence, so he was taken back to the stable yard and immediately shipped to the NEH (Newmarket Equine Hospital) for further observation.

“Hopefully it’s nothing more than bruising, that would be the first opinion of the vets, but we’re going to keep him at the vets overnight just to be absolutely sure. He’s got the right people around him just in case.

“You couldn’t make it up and it was nobody’s fault – it was just freaky. I think he just lost his balance.”

Ghostwriter going for Princess of Wales’s Stakes gold

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Trainer Clive Cox considers the Princess Of Wales’s Stakes as too good an opportunity to pass up with his stable star Ghostwriter.

Although without a victory since the autumn of his juvenile campaign, the four-year-old has run some excellent races in defeat at the highest level since, last season finishing third behind City Of Troy in both the Coral-Eclipse and the Juddmonte International.

Having kicked off this year by finishing fourth in Dubai and then sixth in the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh, Ghostwriter was sold for £2million on the eve of Royal Ascot and made a promising start in the colours of Kia Joorabchian’s Amo Racing operation by picking up the bronze medal in the Hardwicke.

Cox recently raised next month’s Sword Dancer Stakes at Saratoga as a likely target for the Invincible Spirit colt, but is more than happy to take in Thursday’s Group Two feature at Newmarket on the way.

“It was an early entry that wasn’t filling and it made perfect sense. It doesn’t interrupt any plans already made, so I’m very happy we’re in it,” said the Lambourn handler.

“He’s come out of Ascot very well, I’m very happy with him and it doesn’t impinge on plans to go to America at all.

“He’s shown a very good level of course form – he won his maiden on the July course and has also won on the Rowley Mile, so Newmarket is a place he handles well and I’m looking forward to it.”

Arabian Crown is one of two runners for Charlie Appleby
Arabian Crown is one of two runners for Charlie Appleby (Nigel French/PA)

Ghostwriter is set to renew rivalry with John and Thady Gosden’s Palladium, who was one place and little over a length behind him in the Hardwicke, while Charlie Appleby saddles both Arabian Crown and El Cordobes.

He told www.godolphin.com: “El Cordobes is coming back in distance from York, where we feel he did not stay the 14 furlongs. He has a bit to find on the book but, back at this trip, he should be competitive, and the quick ground will be no problem.

“Arabian Crown has been gelded since his last start and stepping back up to a mile and a half will suit. If he can recapture some of his earlier form, he is sure to be a player.”

The quintet is completed by James Owen’s Wimbledon Hawkeye, who was last seen finishing fourth in the King Edward VIII Stakes and lines up as the sole three-year-old in the field.

“He’s very well, he’s been training great. Everything has been very straightforward and we’re really looking forward to the race,” said Owen.

“He’s got a good amount of resolution, he’s coming out of his races well and he holds his form.

“He’s against the older horses but he gets a nice allowance for that, so it will be really interesting.

“Fingers crossed it’s a nice opportunity for him.”

Ghostwriter booked for Saratoga assignment

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Clive Cox is looking forward to crossing the Atlantic with Ghostwriter, who appears set for another taste of international competition in Saratoga’s Sword Dancer Stakes next month.

The son of Invincible Spirit ran with credit in the Middle East in the spring, finishing fourth in the Dubai Turf in his first race outside of Europe and having again performed admirably when stepped up in trip for the Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot, Cox is now keen to head Stateside on August 9.

Cox said: “Ascot was a solid run which opens up more possibilities now going a mile and a half. At the moment we intend to take him to America at the beginning of August – that race is very much on the agenda and we’re looking forward to making plans for that.

Ghostwriter is one Clive Cox's stable stars
Ghostwriter is one Clive Cox’s stable stars (Mike Egerton/PA)

“He relished the travelling when we took him to Dubai in the spring and I’m hoping we can travel with a little bit of confidence this time and it seems a very logical and sensible plan.”

Ghostwriter was subject of plenty of headlines prior to his run at Royal Ascot having been bought for £2million on the eve of the summer highlight by Kia Joorabchian’s Amo Racing operation.

In the race itself, he found just Charlie Appleby’s globetrotting Rebel’s Romance and Joseph O’Brien’s dual Group One scorer Al Riffa too good, finishing third, a performance that proves he remains a reliable model of consistency in elite company.

Cox added: “I think the Hardwicke was a Group Two in name only and it was full of very creditable Group One performers really, but I was thrilled he hit the line well and proved the mile and a half trip is going to be suitable.

“I think he’s become very professional and is also supremely consistent, his race record is really admirable and I’m pleased to be a part of his training and very happy with how he’s come out of Ascot as well.”

Headline buy Ghostwriter gets mile-and-a-half chance in Hardwicke

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Clive Cox’s Ghostwriter has already made the headlines this week having changed hands for £2million and now he gets the chance to let his ability do the talking in the Hardwicke Stakes.

Cox and previous owner Jeff Smith had been itching to step the four-year-old up in trip to a mile and a half following a succession of good runs over 10 furlongs last season against the likes of City Of Troy and Look De Vega.

Bought by Kia Joorabchian’s Amo Racing at Monday’s Goffs London Sale, he will be ridden by David Egan for the first time.

“He obviously went through the ring on Monday but we’ve been wanting to step him up in trip for a little while now and this looks a good time to do it,” said Cox.

“He ran well in the Tattersalls Gold Cup and prior to that in Dubai so I’m hopeful that he’ll relish the chance to step up in trip and I hope he does well for his new connections.

“The race has changed in complexion with Kalpana not running. I’m hugely respectful to Rebel’s Romance as he’s such a consistent performer and he’s a credit to everyone involved with him, but I’m hopeful we can get involved at the finish.

“He’s run well on the straight track at Ascot before, he’s never been on the round course there but I’m happy that he’s in excellent form and I hope he can put his best foot forward.”

The aforementioned Rebel’s Romance has been an absolute star for Charlie Appleby and Godolphin.

Now seven, he has won Group One races in America, Germany, Hong Kong and Dubai over a mile and a half and last time out won the Yorkshire Cup over an extra two furlongs.

“I keep telling people, if I need to explain what Rebel’s Romance is all about, they are probably not racing fans,” said Appleby on his globetrotting stable stalwart.

“He comes here in great order and he’s well renowned for what he can do. I think the trump card could be the drop back to a mile and a half and that is going to be more comfortable for him. It was his guts that got him over the line at York, he’s an absolute star.”

William Haggas, who got off the mark for the week on Thursday with Merchant, runs three, the shortest priced of them being the Wathnan Racing-owned Space Legend, who finished second in the King Edward VII last season to Calandagan

“We used the Huxley as a prep for this which was an inadequate trip and I’m not sure Chester’s tight nature would have been ideal for him,” said Wathnan’s Richard Brown.

“Ascot back up in distance will hopefully be more suitable, but he will have to perform to his very best as it’s an incredible Hardwicke and he’ll need to be on top form to make the top three – if he was to finish in the first three we would be delighted.”

Godolphin and Wathnan are to the fore in the Chesham Stakes, too, with Appleby’s Treanmor living up to his €2million price tag on debut.

Appleby said: “We were confident going into Newmarket over the six furlongs and he qualifies for the Chesham on the back of his sire Frankel.

“Frankel has phenomenal stats here at Ascot and I think he’s second only to Dubawi, so we come here confident the step up in trip will suit and I think both physically and mentally he has come forward from that first run at Newmarket.”

Humidity was bought by Wathnan following a winning Newbury debut in the Cheveley Park Stud colours.

“He was bred for this and both physically and on pedigree you would think he would want further than six furlongs,” said Brown.

“His full-brother Holloway Boy won this on debut in 2022 and hopefully it is the right spot for him.

“I was really impressed with him at Newbury but this is going to be a tough race. Aidan (O’Brien) is bringing a smart horse over (Moments Of Joy) and Charlie Appleby’s Treanmor looked special when winning at Newmarket.

“However, our lad is one from one and did it well and we’re now going to find out how good he is.”

Ghostwriter makes £2million Amo Racing transfer

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Amo Racing strengthened their potential Royal Ascot hand when paying £2million to add Hardwicke Stakes entry Ghostwriter to their team.

The four-year-old won the Group Two Royal Lodge Stakes as a juvenile and while he failed to get his head in front for owner Jeff Smith and trainer Clive Cox last term, he turned in a string of fine efforts in top company, including third-placed runs in the both the Eclipse and Juddmonte International.

Ghostwriter finished fourth in the Dubai Turf back in April and could step up to a mile and a half for the first time in Saturday’s Group Two in the colours of Kia Joorabchian’s Amo Racing outfit after changing hands at the Goffs London Sale.

Speaking at Kensington Palace Gardens, where the sale was held, Joorabchian told Nick Luck Daily: “To be honest, my son picked him out a little while ago and he was like ‘we’ve got to buy this’. He’s third favourite for the Hardwicke and I think he’s got a chance to go up to Group One level, so we’ll see.”

When asked if the Invincible Spirit colt will stay in training with Cox, Joorabchian added: “I don’t know Clive Cox but I’m sure we will meet him and we’ll see.

“At the moment I’m not buying horses to stay, I’m buying them to hopefully go into our own yard but this one, I don’t know yet because he’s done a good job with him so we will have a chat, Alex (Elliott, bloodstock agent) knows him a little bit better so I’ll get to meet him and see what we do after that.”

Amo’s name also appeared in conjunction with Nick Bell after Tycoon sold for £600,000. The three-year-old has won one of his three starts for John and Thady Gosden, most recently placing third in Listed company, and he is entered in Thursday’s Hampton Court Stakes.

The Andrew Balding-trained Tropical Storm, winner of the Westow Stakes last time and declared for Tuesday’s King Charles III Stakes, sold to Oliver St Lawrence Bloodstock for £500,000, while Resolute Bloodstock paid £625,000 for Jersey Stakes contender Woodshauna, who was a Group Three winner last time out for Francis-Henri Graffard.