Connections of Amiloc are excited to see what he can achieve next season following a creditable effort in defeat at the Breeders’ Cup.
Gelded before he even made it to the racecourse, the son of Postponed has made giant strides since winning a couple of races on the all-weather last season, kicking off his three-year-old campaign with a hat-trick of victories including success at Royal Ascot in the King Edward VII Stakes.
He met with defeat for the first time but was far from disgraced when finishing best of the rest behind Al Riffa in the Irish St Leger in September and was subsequently prepared for a trip to California and a tilt at what looked a quality renewal of the Breeders’ Cup Turf.
Ralph Beckett’s Amiloc performed admirably to place a close-up fourth behind the surprise Willie Mullins-trained winner Ethical Diamond, finishing on the heels of the globetrotting superstar Rebel’s Romance and his stablemate El Cordobes to leave his team optimistic for the future.
Patrick Cooper, racing manager to owner Vimy Aykroyd, said: “They broke the course record and he ran an absolute blinder. The man (Willie Mullins) is a genius and his horse got the run of the race the way it panned out.
“Amiloc was the first three-year-old home, we were thrilled and hopefully he can go on from there.”
On whether Amiloc could target further international riches this winter, Cooper added: “I don’t know, I haven’t spoken to Ralph. Hong Kong would be the only option and we want to keep the horse going for a number of years so there is no need to go, but if he’s bouncing why not?
“We’ll hopefully start off in Dubai next year and take him on through the year from there – we can go and run for the bucks!”
Amiloc’s stablemate Pride Of Arras, who also carries the Aykroyd silks, is set to be supplemented for the Bahrain International Trophy on Friday week.
Winner of both the Dante Stakes and the Great Voltigeur at York this season, he is poised to join Karl Burke’s Royal Champion and the Richard Hannon-trained Persica in the $1million feature.
Beckett said: “Pride Of Arras worked well at the weekend and he is ready to go.
“I think the race is a good spot for him; a mile and a quarter on good ground will suit. He’s a gelding and he’ll be staying in training, so the aim is to enjoy racing him and as such we are really looking forward to Bahrain.”