Princess Of Wales’s Stakes: traner quotes and video tip

Trainer Clive Cox considers the Princess Of Wales’s Stakes as too good an opportunity to pass up with his stable star Ghostwriter.

Although without a victory since the autumn of his juvenile campaign, the four-year-old has run some excellent races in defeat at the highest level since, last season finishing third behind City Of Troy in both the Coral-Eclipse and the Juddmonte International.

Having kicked off this year by finishing fourth in Dubai and then sixth in the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh, Ghostwriter was sold for £2million on the eve of Royal Ascot and made a promising start in the colours of Kia Joorabchian’s Amo Racing operation by picking up the bronze medal in the Hardwicke.

Cox recently raised next month’s Sword Dancer Stakes at Saratoga as a likely target for the Invincible Spirit colt, but is more than happy to take in Thursday’s Group Two feature at Newmarket on the way.

“It was an early entry that wasn’t filling and it made perfect sense. It doesn’t interrupt any plans already made, so I’m very happy we’re in it,” said the Lambourn handler.

“He’s come out of Ascot very well, I’m very happy with him and it doesn’t impinge on plans to go to America at all.

“He’s shown a very good level of course form – he won his maiden on the July course and has also won on the Rowley Mile, so Newmarket is a place he handles well and I’m looking forward to it.”

Ghostwriter is set to renew rivalry with John and Thady Gosden’s Palladium, who was one place and little over a length behind him in the Hardwicke, while Charlie Appleby saddles both Arabian Crown and El Cordobes.

He told www.godolphin.com: “El Cordobes is coming back in distance from York, where we feel he did not stay the 14 furlongs. He has a bit to find on the book but, back at this trip, he should be competitive, and the quick ground will be no problem.

“Arabian Crown has been gelded since his last start and stepping back up to a mile and a half will suit. If he can recapture some of his earlier form, he is sure to be a player.”

The quintet is completed by James Owen’s Wimbledon Hawkeye, who was last seen finishing fourth in the King Edward VIII Stakes and lines up as the sole three-year-old in the field.

“He’s very well, he’s been training great. Everything has been very straightforward and we’re really looking forward to the race,” said Owen.

“He’s got a good amount of resolution, he’s coming out of his races well and he holds his form.

“He’s against the older horses but he gets a nice allowance for that, so it will be really interesting.

“Fingers crossed it’s a nice opportunity for him.”