Poster seeks top billing in G1 Pegasus World Cup

Poster hopes to make up for lost time when he finally gets his G1 opportunity in the Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park, USA, on Saturday, 24 January.

The Eoin Harty-trained colt looked set for a big 2025 after gamely taking Aqueduct’s G2 Remsen Stakes on his final juvenile start but was forced off the Kentucky Derby trail after sustaining a small condylar fracture in the spring.

Having missed most of his three-year-old campaign, Poster made a winning return to action in a Churchill Downs allowance optional claimer in November. He improved on that performance in December’s G3 Harlan's Holiday Stakes at Gulfstream Park, in which he rallied gamely to go down by a head to Skippylongstocking.

Michael Banahan, Director of Bloodstock, Godolphin USA, said: “Poster couldn't be doing any better leading into his G1 debut in the Pegasus World Cup.

“He has been working superbly since his narrow defeat in the Harlan's Holiday. Eoin worked him in a set of blinkers, which appeared to really help him focus, and he will race in them for the first time on Saturday.

“We are excited to see how well he can perform against top opposition. If he runs as well as he is touting Eoin, he has a lot of options that could open up to him including a possible trip to the Dubai World Cup. We are cautiously optimistic that he will run very well.”

Stablemate Verity bids for a second G2 win over seven furlongs in the Inside Information Stakes, with the Nyquist filly having powered home on a sloppy track in the Beaumont Stakes at Keeneland’s Spring Meet last year.

Fifth in the G2 Eight Belles Stakes on Kentucky Oaks Day, Verity filled the runner-up spot on her only subsequent appearance in an allowance optional claimer at Churchill Downs in November.

Michael Banahan added: “Verity has trained very well since her return to the races. The G2 Inside Information is a contentious race and she will be tested by some nice fillies and mares, but Eoin expects her to be in the mix. Vincent Cheminaud retains the ride as he has built up a good partnership with her.

“I am hoping that, with a good performance, she can get in the top three and maybe more.”

Current Darley stallion Speaker’s Corner won the G3 Fred W Hooper Stakes on this card in 2022 before going on to annex the G2 Gulfstream Park Mile and G1 Carter Handicap. His half-brother Knightsbridge will be hoping that this year’s race can prove a similar springboard.

From the same Bill Mott stable as his sibling, Knightsbridge’s early career was beset by minor issues but the Nyquist entire ended 2025 with commanding wins in an Aqueduct allowance optional claimer and the G3 Mr Prospector Stakes at Gulfstream Park. 

Michael Banahan said: “Knightsbridge won impressively in last month’s Mr Prospector and comes back for three races in a row for the first time. He has been breezing extremely well and Bill is very pleased with him.

“I expect him to improve again and put in a big performance in a race his half-brother Speaker’s Corner won several years ago. This should set him up for some big assignments in the future.”