Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes
Group 2, Newmarket 13:50 £125,000 guaranteed, 2yo only, 1m, Class 1
Tweet Saturday 30th September 2023

1 Ghostwriter 10/3
2 Al Musmak 7/1
3 Capulet 7/4F
9 ran Distances: 1¼l, ½l, hd
Time: 1m 37.06s (slow by 1.16s)

Ghostwriter looks classy in winning a good quality @JuddmonteFarms Royal Lodge Stakes under @RKingscote for Clive Cox @NewmarketRace pic.twitter.com/hfWwYFkeSI https://t.co/VxphNniDAv via @RacingBetter

— RacingBetter (@RacingBetter) September 30, 2023

Clive Cox’s Ghostwriter was a wide-margin maiden winner at the July course on debut and then took an Ascot novice in convincing style in early September.

Stepped up to Group Two level on the Rowley Mile and ridden by Richard Kingscote, the Invincible Spirit two-year-old was not hard pressed to ease ahead of eight rivals and prevail by a length at 100-30, in what looked a good renewal. Al Musmak and Capulet took second and third respectively.

The Jeff Smith-owned colt was subsequently given a 16-1 quote by QuinnBet for next year’s 2000 Guineas.

Cox said: “That was very special and I’m so thrilled for Jeff. He has been improving with every run and that was a big step to take. I couldn’t be more pleased with the way he has carried it out and he looks full of promise going forward.

“The dam (Moorside) won over a mile and a half and I think he has a very good middle-distance plan to go forwards with.

“He was very much in his comfort zone and Richard was able to play him exactly as he felt and he quickened nicely when he met the rising ground there and I couldn’t be more pleased.

“He has always been a nice horse, but he has always been maturing and having a frame to fill while keeping his strength moving forwards. This cements what we thought so far and the dream is very much alive for next year.

“It is really exciting. We are normally known for our sprinting division but in the meantime it is such a joy to have a horse like this on our hands as it does set the pulse racing.”

The Futurity Trophy at Doncaster could be next on the horizon at the end of October.

Cox added: “We will discuss that with Jeff and David (Bowe, racing manager) and see how he comes back, but I’d say the way he is physically developing all the time means I’d probably be thinking about next year.

“We’ve had a couple of entries (in the Derby), but they were foal entries. This is the first potential live chance we could be thinking about going that way.

“I’m just thrilled with what he has done today, and we can discuss that through the winter and make plans accordingly.”

Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes
£125,000 guaranteed, 2yo only, 1m, Class 1
9 ran
Going: Good to Firm