Comeback in sight for Courage Mon Ami

Courage Mon Ami is tentatively on the comeback trail, with connections eyeing one run before a shot at securing a second Gold Cup at Royal Ascot in the summer.

The John and Thady Gosden-trained son of Frankel helped his owners Wathnan Racing make an immediate impact when landing the Royal meeting feature in 2023, but he has been limited to just two outings since and was forced to sit out the whole of the 2024 campaign.

“Courage Mon Ami is back up to doing two canters on Warren Hill and is doing well, he’s in good shape,” said Wathnan’s racing adviser Richard Brown.

“It will be one run somewhere then on to Royal Ascot for the Gold Cup as long as everything runs smooth, but he needs a trouble-free preparation.”

Courage Mon Ami’s stablemate Gregory was also successful at Royal Ascot in 2023 and filled Courage Mon Ami’s void in a stack of top staying contests last term.

Third behind Kyprios in the Goodwood Cup, he also placed at York a month later in the Lonsdale Cup.

However, he was only fifth in his final start of 2024 at Doncaster, and having also failed to sparkle when sent in search of a valuable prize in Saudi Arabia in January, is now being given as long as needed to freshen up.

“We were expecting a much better run from Gregory in Saudi Arabia and he’s come back and he’s not himself so we will give him a break, he’s just not thriving at the moment,” explained Brown.

“We just need to get to grips with where we are with him and he’s actually having some time out in the paddock at the moment. Like all our horses we’ll just take our time with him and give him every chance.

“When he’s telling us he’s ready to go back into work we will do that then.”

While Courage Mon Ami and Gregory are part of the furniture at the Gosden’s Clarehaven base, a new name who could announce himself this season is Damysus.

The Frankel colt cost 460,000 guineas as a yearling and made a taking debut at Southwell in December.

He holds an entry for the Betfred Derby, but for now he will remain in calm waters while connections feel their way forward with the exciting prospect.

Brown added: “He has run once and won once and how good he is no one actually knows yet. James (Doyle) rode him work on Saturday and actually rode him again yesterday and likes him.

“They are bringing him forward and I imagine we will go gently with him. After speaking with James I think we’ll start him back over a mile down the novice route and see where we head from there.”