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| Sumita Pawar |
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Westover will be receiving assistance from a pacemaker as he competes in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud this Saturday, in an effort to regain his winning form.
In an attempt to reclaim his winning streak, Westover will be supported by a pacemaker during his participation in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud this Saturday. Despite being the Irish Derby champion, Westover has finished second in two Group One races this year, trailing behind Equinox and Emily Upjohn. Additionally, Malabu Drive, previously trained by Ger Lyons in Ireland but now under Beckett's tutelage and owned by Juddmonte, will also be competing alongside Westover.
Trainer's Confidence High For Westover
Of Westover, the trainer told Sky Sports Racing, “He looks well and I’m happy with him — he’s ready to go again.
“We didn’t want to get caught back on a slow gallop, so that’s what he (Malabu Drive) is there for and Dougie Costello will ride him.
“Saint-Cloud is a very fair track and a galloping track, which is obviously a positive for Westover.
“I think we might have gone a different route if he’d won the Coronation Cup — I was always quite keen to drop him back to 10 furlongs for the Eclipse if that had happened, but it didn’t, so we’re going to Paris instead.
“With a pacemaker to ensure a nice, even gallop, that will not only help the pace of the race, it will give Westover something to aim at, so that will help as well.”
Beckett acknowledges that Westover's exuberance, which hindered his performance as the favorite in the midsummer showpiece last year, must be appropriately controlled.
“It is always going to be there a little bit. He’s never going to change in that sense, it’ll just get a little better as he gets older,” the trainer added.
“It’s part of his make-up. He did it before the Derby, he was exuberant to post in the Irish Derby and the same for the Arc. In all three races he ran well, equally in Dubai. It’s just him.
“We’ve got enough time to run at Ascot if it goes well on Saturday and that will certainly be in our thinking
“I don’t have a strong view about what happens after Saturday, it’s only Saturday I’m concentrating on at the moment.”
Beckett has chosen a substitute jockey for Kinross, who will be competing in the July Cup at the July Festival in Newmarket next week, as regular rider Frankie Dettori is suspended.
“William Buick will ride him and he’s in good shape,” he confirmed.
“He saw too much daylight at Ascot, he was too prominent from the outset. He’s a horse better running at horses rather than them coming to him.
“He still ran well and I’ve always wanted to run him in the July Cup. I would have run him in it last year if it had been slower ground and this time I’m not fussed — I think he’s older and hardier and will handle it now.”