Westover back to winning ways in the Gr.1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud

2022 Irish Derby winner Westover (Frankel) took the second top-flight victory of his career yesterday when knuckling down to land the Gr.1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud for trainer Ralph Beckett.

Taken from the European Bloodstock News, 9th July 2023:

The son of Frankel was content to follow his stablemate Malabu Drive (Frankel) in the early stages of the race, but it was actually the Gr.1-winning half-brother to Gr.1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe victor Torquator Tasso, Tunnes, who moved through to set the pace in the 2400m contest at Saint-Cloud. Feeling his horse was spent, Dougie Costello moved Malabu Drive to the side with just over 1000 metres to go, allowing Westover to move through under Rob Hornby and challenge the German raider. The four-year-old loomed past Tunnes to take the lead with over 400 metres to go, but the danger did not look over as Zagrey travelled strongly and looked to threaten the winner with 300 metres left. However, Westover showed his professionalism and kept on gamely to win by two lengths, lowering Alpinista’s (Frankel) race-record time. Junko was a further three lengths back in third.

The Juddmonte homebred won on his debut at two in August and went on to add the Gr.3 Classic Trial at three, before finishing third behind Desert Crown in the Gr.1 Derby and then bouncing back to land the Irish equivalent by seven lengths. He finished second twice this year prior to yesterday’s victory, in both the Gr.1 Dubai Sheema Classic, behind the Japanese champion Equinox, and the Coronation Cup, behind yesterday’s Gr.1 Eclipse Stakes runner-up Emily Upjohn.

He is a full-brother to the Gr.3 Darley Stakes, Listed Foundation Stakes and Listed Wolferton Stakes winner Monarchs Glen, out of the Gr.3 Churchill Downs Distaff Turf Mile heroine and Gr.1 Prix de la Foret third Mirabilis. She is in turn a half-sister to the 2003 Gr.1 Prix de Diane and Gr.1 Prix du Moulin winner Nebraska Tornado and the Gr.2 Prix Eugene Adam winner Burning Sun.