Westover - one of only six in King George

Westover - back to winning ways in France

Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud report: Westover back to winning ways

By David Ord

Horse Racing

Sat July 08, 2023 · 2y ago

2/5 favourite Westover returned to winning ways with an ultimately convincing victory in the Group One Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud.

Rob Hornby was aboard the four-year-old, who was registering a first success since last year’s Irish Derby and went for home passing the two furlong marker.

At that stage the strong-travelling runner-up Zagrey looked a big danger but he was never able to lay a glove on the winner who found more for pressure and was two lengths clear at the line.

It was a further three back to Junko in third.

Westover was a bitter disappointment in last year’s King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot but Ralph Beckett's star could head back there next and is 6/1 from 10s with Paddy Power and Betfair to land the Berkshire showpiece.

Dream win for Hornby

Hornby told Sky Sports Racing: “Winning a Group One in these colours is the stuff of dreams. I was brought up watching these colours win prestigious races and to be able to do it at Group One level is the highest honour and I’m grateful to everyone who has helped me along the way. Ralph has trained this horse so well from two to three and three to four, so to win a Group One at four is so important. These are things you dream of, so when they come true you don’t know how to think.”

Of the race, he added: “The pace was really good early on, Dougie (Costello on Malabu Drive) was able to keep it honest the whole way. When he dropped the bit he was able to work into it but funnily enough, once he shut down he took some stoking up again, so I was keen to get on my bike early. He hit the line strong and the time matches that. This is my third Group One for Ralph and fourth overall but it’s nearly a year since my last one and they are so important for a jockey.”

King George under consideration

Beckett said: “Inevitably there was pressure as it was a long time since he won, over a year, and the longer that goes on the harder it gets. There was nothing wrong with his two runs this year, he’s only had the one blip in the King George. He was great today and it was a very fast time. For so long we had a reputation for training long distance fillies, so it’s important to change the dial, as Angel Bleu has done as well.

“I think we’ll either stay at a mile and a half or even have a conversation about going up in trip, because the peloton came to him but he stretched away in the last half a furlong. We’ll enjoy today and see what comes next, this was important.

“We’ll certainly consider the King George and see how he is closer to the time. There will be a bit of a monkey on the shoulder saying is this a good idea after what happened last year but we’ll see. The Arc will be under consideration too, he ran a great race in it last year (sixth) but got stuck in the ground.”

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