Ghostwriter coasted clear of rivals in the Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes (G2) Saturday at Newmarket in an impressive manner to win his group stakes debut. With his victory in the one-mile race for 2-year-old colts, the son of Invincible Spirit earned an automatic starting position into the $1-million Prevagen Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) through the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In.
The Breeders' Cup Challenge Series is an international series of 80 Graded/Group stakes races whose winners receive automatic starting positions and fees paid into a corresponding race of the Breeders' Cup World Championships, scheduled to be held Nov. 3-4 at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California.
After a level break, the nine-runner field split into two groups as Richard Hannon-trained Son and 9-5 favorite Capulet, trained by Aidan O'Brien, set a steady pace.
As the runners approached the halfway mark, Ghostwriter, trained by Clive Cox, was settled midfield alongside Caviar Heights and Al Musmak. Inside the final two furlongs, the eventual winner was traveling with ease. He responded well when jockey Richard Kingscote asked him to quicken and surged to keep his unbeaten record intact with a 1 1/4-length victory at odds of 3-1.
Al Musmak finished second, a half-length ahead of Capulet in third.
Ghostwriter, now 3-for-3, completed the mile in 1:37:06 over a course listed as good to firm.
Cox, who is closing in on his 1,000th winner as a trainer, said: “He was very much learning on the job on each of his first two runs. Today was a proper test and we couldn't be more pleased. He's got lots of class. I'm so pleased for Jeff (Smith), and all the team at home.
“It's a real joy to have a winner like this on a day like this. He's definitely going to want a bit further, but we'll take it one step at a time. It looks like he could be exciting.”
Kingscote said: “He jumped and got in a nice rhythm… (and) picked up nicely heading into the dip. He's a very likable sort going forward. He's going to be a middle-distance horse next year, but he's not short of toe, he's got a bit of class.”
Ghostwriter was bred in Ireland by Norelands Bloodstock and Irish National Stud. From the family of Zafonic, his dam is the Champs Elysees mare Moorside, who was stakes-placed.
As part of the benefits of the Challenge Series, Breeders' Cup will pay the entry fees for Ghostwriter to start in the Prevagen Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Santa Anita, which will be run at 1 mile. Breeders' Cup will also provide a travel allowance for all starters based outside of North America to compete in the World Championships. The Challenge winner must be nominated to the Breeders' Cup program by the Championships' pre-entry deadline of Oct. 23 to receive the rewards.
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