Juddmonte's Classic winner Westover (GB) (Frankel {GB}), who ran a strong second in the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic in March, will make his return in the June 2 G1 Coronation Cup, according to trainer Ralph Beckett.
Successful in the G3 Classic Trial at Sandown last April prior to a third in the G1 Derby at Epsom, the bay stormed to a seven-length victory in the G1 Irish Derby at the Curragh in late June. Leading for part of the G1 King George VI And Queen Elizabeth S., he failed to land a blow when fifth to Pyledriver (GB) (Harbour Watch {Ire}) and was sixth in very soft ground in the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe behind Alpinista (GB) (Frankel {GB}) in October. Epsom's Coronation Cup will be his second run this term.
“We are not really going back because we feel we have unfinished business, it is more so that Epsom clearly suited him last year,” said Beckett. “He handled the track really well for a big horse.
“As long as we are in the right place with him then I will be happy. I think inevitably he is physically a more mature horse this year and you can see that in him. I think in the long-term going to Dubai will make a difference.
“His work has always been good but it has never been stunning. I would be fairly relaxed about what happens at home now. It is important that he reaches his ceiling on the track. sure.
“You would hope that he would be a better horse this year because of his size but he has already run to a pretty high level. In that sense it is about maintaining that progression.”
Added Beckett of the 4-year-old's longer-term goals, “What I would really like to do, if he were to win the Coronation Cup, would be to drop him back to 10 furlongs for the [G1] Eclipse [in July].
“He likes Sandown. He won his maiden around there as a 2-year-old and the Classic Trial last year. I think the track really suits him. I'd be keen to go back to a mile and a quarter there as it would really play to his strengths.
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