Rematch is on Between Cape Blanco and Gio Ponti

It is always great to see trainers and owners prepared to let their horses take on the best around and be unafraid of going head-to-head with a horse that has previously beaten them, so credit must go to Christophe Clement who has set up a potentially thrilling rematch between Gio Ponti and his Man O'War Stakes conqueror Cape Blanco with the pair both now slated to head next to the Arlington Million in Chicago on August 13, writes Elliot Slater.
 
Gio Ponti has been amongst the very cream of US performers over 8-10 furlongs during the past few years and ran another fine race in chasing home Aidan O'Brien's back-to-form Cape Blanco at Belmont Park last weekend, failing by just over two lengths to peg back the front-running winner of last season's Irish Derby and Irish Champion Stakes. O'Brien had already nominated the Arlington Million as the next stop for his chestnut son of Galileo, and now Clement has taken up the mantle thrown down by the outstanding Irish trainer. Those following the racing tips will be excited by the prospect of the race.
 
The prospect of seeing champions from both sides of the Atlantic taking each other on again for the second time is sure to fascinate racegoers in the US and Europe, but the form book suggests that if Cape Blanco runs to his best he should again be too good for his six-year-old rival who last year was caught close home in the 'Arlington' by John Gosden's Debussy, who produced a stunning turn of foot to nail Gio Ponti in the shadow of the post. Anyone looking at the Betfair horseracing betting will know just how closely matched the pair are.
 
It's fair to say that Cape Blanco is regarded as a better horse than Debussy, and if he gets the run of the race it would not surprise to see O'Brien's charge get the better of the argument once again. Whoever comes out on top though it is international racing that will be the undoubted winner.