Winchester prepares hard to meet Cape Blanco in the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic at Belmont Park
The hunt is on for Christophe Clement trained 6-year-old horse, Winchester, as he seeks to bag the fifth Grade 1 score of his career in the Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic on 1 October, 2011, at Belmont Park.
The Bertram R. Firestone owned Winchester is coming off a sensational win in the Grade 1 Sword Dancer Invitational over the Saratoga’s turf course under jockey C Velasquez on 13 August, 2011.
Over Winchester’s favoured distance of 1 ½ miles approximately 12 furlongs, the son of Theatrical took on a competitive lineup, but easily cruised past his opponents to cover the distance of 1 ½ miles in 2 minutes and 26.74 seconds.
Out of Run Charger by Spectrum, Winchester will be looking to defend his title in the Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic, as he went on to win the 2010 edition of the race by defeating Paddy O’Prado and Grassy, and on 2 October, 2010, he completed the distance
in 2 minutes and 36.09 seconds.
Winchester is preparing well to defend his title, as he turned in a five furlong breeze and was clocked in 1 minute and 3.56 seconds over Belmont Park’s firm inner turf course. Winchester was not alone as he turned in his breeze, he was accompanied by Mr.
Ryder.
However, this time around it’s a different sort of predicament for Winchester, as the Gio Ponti’s fierce international rival is looking to win his third race on American soil, the Aidan O’Brien trained Cape Blanco.
The 4-year-old Irish invader made his last two starts at Belmont Park and Arlington Park, winning the Grade 1 Man O’ War Stakes and the Grade 1 Arlington Million, respectively, each time defeating Christophe Clement’s other runner, Gio Ponti.
Though Clement will send out Winchester this time against Cape Blanco, and he pointed Gio Ponti to start in the Shadwell Turf Mile at Keeneland on 8 October.
Cape Blanco won in the Grade 1 Irish Derby over a distance of 12 furlongs, so he is just not a 10 furlong horse he can certainly go beyond, but one thing’s for sure, Winchester will have his hands full with Cape Blanco.
It will be a third straight American Grade 1 turf stakes race win for Cape Blanco, if he goes on to win the Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic.
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