The $1m plan for the £2m horse: Ghostwriter's new trainer eyeing winter riches

Ghostwriter is being aimed at the $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational at Gulfstream Park in Florida at the start of next year.

The four-year-old was purchased on the eve of Royal Ascot for £2 million by Amo Racing and went on to finish third in the Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes.

His next start was due to be in the Princess of Wales’s Stakes at Newmarket’s July meeting, but he was withdrawn before the race having reared over in the pre-parade ring. He subsequently spent time at Newmarket Equine Hospital.

Switched to Amo Racing’s retained trainer Kevin Philippart de Foy from Clive Cox, Ghostwriter is set to return to action starting with either the Listed Wild Flower Stakes at Kempton on December 17 or the Listed Quebec Stakes at Lingfield on December 31.

Speaking at Tattersalls, Philippart de Foy said: “He's going to make his comeback in December for the Listed race at Kempton. The idea is to go for the Pegasus in January and campaign abroad over the winter, but he won't be running before Kempton on December 17 or Lingfield on the 31st. He'll have one prep run before America.”

Kevin Philippart de Foy: "The idea is to go for the Pegasus in January and campaign abroad over the winter"Credit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

The Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational is run over 1m1f as part of the Pegasus World Cup fixture in Miami. Next year’s race is scheduled to take place on January 24. This year’s race was won by Spirit Of St Louis, while the Aidan O’Brien-trained Warm Heart won the contest in 2024.

Prior to joining Amo Racing, Ghostwriter had carried the colours of owner Jeff Smith to victory in the 2023 Royal Lodge Stakes as well as finishing in the first four in last year’s 2,000 Guineas, Prix du Jockey Club, Coral-Eclipse and Juddmonte International under the guidance of Cox.

Alongside running in Britain, Ireland and France, Ghostwriter has also shown himself to be an able long-distance traveller having finished fourth in this year’s Dubai Turf at Meydan in April.

Philippart de Foy added: “I'm very happy with the horse. He's been busy enough at the beginning of the season so it wasn't bad to give him a break before he has a winter campaign.”

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