Trainer Clive Cox is confident Ghostwriter can build on his comeback performance in Dubai and mount a strong challenge in the May 25 Tattersalls Gold Cup (G1) at the Curragh.
Owned by Jeff Smith, Ghostwriter finished fourth in the Dubai Turf (G1T) at Meydan Racecourse on Dubai World Cup (G1) night last month, with the three horses in front of him all having had the benefit of a run.
Since returning from the Middle East, Ghostwriter has continued to please Cox in his training and is set to head to Ireland, where he finished fifth in last year's Irish Champion Stakes (G1).
Cox said: "It was a huge run from him in Dubai last time and it was worthwhile going there with him—he won £200,000 in prize money for finishing fourth.
"He's been very well and happy in himself since he came home and I think the winter sunshine has done him a lot of good. I've been really happy with how he's trained since he's been back, so I'm very much hoping he can improve on that performance with a run under his belt."
Alenquer was the last Tattersalls Gold Cup winner trained in Britain when landing the prize for William Haggas in 2022, while the likes of Noble Mission, Al Kazeem, and Notnowcato have also triumphed at the Curragh for British-based trainers.
Ghostwriter, who will be ridden by Rossa Ryan in the 1 5/16-mile event Sunday, finished third in both the Coral-Eclipse (G1) and Juddmonte International Stakes (G1) last season, as well as taking fourth in the Two Thousand Guineas (G1) and Prix du Jockey Club (G1), but was unable to add to his three successes as a 2-year-old.
Last year's winner White Birch, plus Los Angeles and Kalpana, are likely to take on Ghostwriter when he bids to provide Cox with a first group 1 victory since 2020, but the trainer believes his 4-year-old will be lining up in tip-top condition.
"You can make a case for a lot of the horses—there's real strength in depth and competition, which is great for people to see," said Cox. "Ghostwriter's been extraordinarily consistent over the last 12 months, and there's every reason to believe he's as good as he's ever been based on what we've seen in the build-up."
White Birch went 3-for-3 last season, culminating with the Gold Cup win, and finished second by a neck to Los Angeles in the May 5 Mooresbridge Stakes (G2) after nearly a year-long layoff. Kalpana is making her first start of the season for Juddmonte and trainer Andrew Balding, having been last seen winning the British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes (G1) Oct. 19.
