Westover was considered one of the unlucky losers in the Derby at Epsom earlier this season. Ralph Beckett’s runner did not get a clear passage in the field, but once he got into the open, he powered home to finish third, just under three lengths behind Desert Crown.
The son of Frankel is now being considered for the final British Classic of the season at Doncaster. The extra distance in the race is likely to suit the colt, based on how strongly he finished his race at Epsom.
Westover could be part of a strong field for the St Leger this year. Last season’s Champion Two-year-old Filly, Inspiral, also has an entry. She is set to make her opening appearance of 2022 in the Coronation Stakes where she is +225 in the bet on Royal Ascot odds. There are also numerous Aidan O’Brien runners on the list, including Luxembourg who finished third in 2,000 Guineas.
Although Sir Michael Stoute has yet to announce his plans for Desert Crown for the rest of the year, it’s unlikely there will be a rematch with Westover at Doncaster. The unbeaten colt is the ante-post favorite for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in France, which takes place in October. That’s set to be his primary goal from now until the end of the campaign.
Beckett has won the St Leger just once. His sole success came in 2015 with Simple Verse. He will be hoping Westover can follow in the filly’s footsteps. The Lambourn-based trainer has opted against running his horse at Royal Ascot this year, but he does have an entry in the Irish Derby, Eclipse Stakes and King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
Hornby Says Westover Is a Huge Talent
Westover’s regular pilot Rob Hornby spoke very highly about the colt following his defeat at Epsom. He was convinced his horse would have won the race had he got a clear run in the field earlier.
Hornby has described Beckett’s colt as being a “huge talent’. His outing at Epsom was just the fifth appearance of his career. The three-year-old scored on his debut at Sandown last season and then followed that up with a second-place finish at Newbury and Pontefract respectively.
The Juddmonte-owned colt put himself in the mix for the Derby when he prevailed in a trial for the race at Sandown. In what was his first run over 1m2f, he showed he had the stamina beyond one mile to score in the Group Three contest.
Hornby believes Westover will improve further with more experience on the track. If he has at least one more appearance at the highest level before the St Leger, he could be at his best for the British Classic.
A St Leger victory at Doncaster would be a great way to gain compensation for their Derby disappointment. It would also put him in the mix alongside Desert Crown, Tuesday and Emily Upjohn for being crowned as the Champion Three-year-old at the end of 2022
