Headline buy Ghostwriter gets mile-and-a-half chance in Hardwicke

Clive Cox’s has already made the headlines this week having changed hands for £2million and now he gets the chance to let his ability do the talking in the Hardwicke Stakes.

Cox and previous owner Jeff Smith had been itching to step the four-year-old up in trip to a mile and a half following a succession of good runs over 10 furlongs last season against the likes of City Of Troy and Look De Vega.

Bought by Kia Joorabchian’s Amo Racing at Monday’s Goffs London Sale, he will be ridden by David Egan for the first time.

“He obviously went through the ring on Monday but we’ve been wanting to step him up in trip for a little while now and this looks a good time to do it,” said Cox.

“He ran well in the Tattersalls Gold Cup and prior to that in Dubai so I’m hopeful that he’ll relish the chance to step up in trip and I hope he does well for his new connections.

“The race has changed in complexion with Kalpana not running. I’m hugely respectful to Rebel’s Romance as he’s such a consistent performer and he’s a credit to everyone involved with him, but I’m hopeful we can get involved at the finish.

“He’s run well on the straight track at before, he’s never been on the round course there but I’m happy that he’s in excellent form and I hope he can put his best foot forward.”

The aforementioned Rebel’s Romance has been an absolute star for Charlie Appleby and Godolphin.

Now seven, he has won Group One races in America, Germany, Hong Kong and Dubai over a mile and a half and last time out won the Yorkshire Cup over an extra two furlongs.

“I keep telling people, if I need to explain what Rebel’s Romance is all about, they are probably not racing fans,” said Appleby on his globetrotting stable stalwart.

“He comes here in great order and he’s well renowned for what he can do. I think the trump card could be the drop back to a mile and a half and that is going to be more comfortable for him. It was his guts that got him over the line at York, he’s an absolute star.”

William Haggas, who got off the mark for the week on Thursday with Merchant, runs three, the shortest priced of them being the Wathnan Racing-owned Space Legend, who finished second in the King Edward VII last season to Calandagan

“We used the Huxley as a prep for this which was an inadequate trip and I’m not sure Chester’s tight nature would have been ideal for him,” said Wathnan’s Richard Brown.

“Ascot back up in distance will hopefully be more suitable, but he will have to perform to his very best as it’s an incredible Hardwicke and he’ll need to be on top form to make the top three – if he was to finish in the first three we would be delighted.”

Godolphin and Wathnan are to the fore in the Chesham Stakes, too, with Appleby’s living up to his €2million price tag on debut.

Appleby said: “We were confident going into Newmarket over the six furlongs and he qualifies for the Chesham on the back of his sire Frankel.

“Frankel has phenomenal stats here at Ascot and I think he’s second only to Dubawi, so we come here confident the step up in trip will suit and I think both physically and mentally he has come forward from that first run at Newmarket.”

Humidity was bought by Wathnan following a winning Newbury debut in the Cheveley Park Stud colours.

“He was bred for this and both physically and on pedigree you would think he would want further than six furlongs,” said Brown.

“His full-brother Holloway Boy won this on debut in 2022 and hopefully it is the right spot for him.

“I was really impressed with him at Newbury but this is going to be a tough race. Aidan (O’Brien) is bringing a smart horse over (Moments Of Joy) and Charlie Appleby’s Treanmor looked special when winning at Newmarket.

“However, our lad is one from one and did it well and we’re now going to find out how good he is.”