Gregory ready to lead Wathnan’s aspirations in the Goodwood Cup
Ascot Gold Cup Hero Courage Mon Ami Likely to Skip Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup
In a surprising turn of events, it appears that Ascot Gold Cup champion, Courage Mon Ami, will not be participating in the upcoming Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup. Instead, his stablemate Gregory is expected to represent owners Wathnan Racing in this grueling marathon race held at Sussex Downs.
The unbeaten duo of Courage Mon Ami and Gregory achieved victory under legendary jockey Frankie Dettori last month for their Qatari-based owners. Trained by John and Thady Gosden, these talented horses have captured everyone’s attention with their exceptional performance.
Courage Mon Ami is currently considered a strong contender alongside Coltrane for the prestigious two-mile Group One race during the Qatar Goodwood Festival. However, connections are mindful of keeping his mileage low as he establishes himself as a rising star within the staying ranks.
Henceforth, Queen’s Vase hero Gregory has been given an opportunity to shine in one of the festival’s prominent events. This serves as his preparation for aiming towards St Leger later this year.
“Both horses emerged from Ascot in excellent condition,” said Richard Brown, racing advisor for Wathnan Racing. “Gregory is a magnificent horse who will only improve with age. We plan on limiting his races this year and expect him to compete just twice more.” He continued excitedly about Gregory’s chances at Goodwood: “The three-year-old weight allowance plays a significant role here which is why we lean towards sending Gregory to participate in the Goodwood Cup.”
While both Courage Mon Ami and Gregory are currently being trained for the race, it’s more likely that Wathnan Racing will give preference to Gregory due to the weight allowance advantage. The objective is to keep Courage Mon Ami’s mileage low while highlighting Gregory’s potential.
If all goes well, Courage Mon Ami will return to Ascot next year with hopes of defending his Gold Cup title. A possible target towards the end of this campaign could be the Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup held on October 21.
Brown elaborated on their plans: “Courage Mon Ami is a four-year-old who can make a successful comeback at Ascot. We’ve seen other staying horses achieve such feats before. His primary aim now revolves around next year’s Gold Cup.” He added, “For the remainder of this year, we anticipate him running twice more with significant targets being Ascot or perhaps even Cadran in ParisLongchamp on September 30. On our way there, York or Doncaster might also serve as suitable options if we don’t go to Goodwood.”
The strategy moving forward is to ensure that Courage Mon Ami and Gregory have separate racing schedules until necessary. Brown acknowledges that eventually they may have to compete against each other but emphasizes current intentions. “We trust John and his team when deciding which direction they want these two exceptional horses headed,” said Brown thoughtfully. “As Wathnan Racing only possesses nine horses presently, it doesn’t align with our plans for them both participate in the same Group One event.” He concluded by affirming their focus: “At present, we lean towards favoring Gregory at Goodwood; however, preparations continue for both horses just in case anything changes unexpectedly.” Brown finally summarized saying: “St Leger remains Gregory’s top priority at this time; after that, we can strategize for the following year. If fortune favors us and both horses remain healthy, fit, and performing well, then it might be challenging to keep them apart. But for now, our aim is to try and separate their races.”