Cape Blanco: the four-year-old has won on both his starts in America
PICTURE: EquisportCape Blanco set to bid for US hat-trick at Belmont
CAPE BLANCO is likely to bid for a hat-trick of Grade 1 wins in the United States with trainer Aidan O’Brien on Sunday confirming that the Joe Hirsch Memorial Turf Classic over 1m4f at Belmont Park on October 2 is under serious consideration for the four-year-old.
Successful in the Man o’War at Belmont and the Arlington Million on his last two starts, Cape Blanco is entered for Australia’s Cox Plate on October 22 but is unlikely to take up that option.
O’Brien said: “All the quarantine issues involved in going to Australia haven’t been resolved and, while nothing has been finalised, we are looking at the Joe Hirsch Memorial as possibly Cape Blanco’s next race.”
Await The Dawn is back in light work having finished only third when odds-on favourite for the Juddmonte International at York last month.
“Await The Dawn was very sick after the York race and we won’t be making any plans for him until he resumes full work,” said O’Brien.
Together, runner-up in the 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket and the Irish equivalent at the Curragh, split Emulous and stablemate Misty For Me in Saturday’s Group 1Matron Stakes at Leopardstown and, according to O’Brien, she has a range of options.
He said: “Together was also coming back from a break and the decision we have to make is whether to step her up to a mile and aquarter or keep her to a mile. There are races to consider and it’s possible that she could go for a race at Keeneland.”
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