Tag Archive for: A Bit Of Spirit

Clive Cox planning attack on big juvenile prizes with star pair

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Clive Cox is keen to see if star juveniles A Bit Of Spirit and Coppull can bag more big-race success in the two-year-old division in the final third of the season.

A Bit Of Spirit returned to winning ways with a battling display at Sandown to come out on top in a four-way finish to the Solario Stakes and with the Lambourn handler still very much on a high from that Group Three triumph, the next step of the youngster’s career could involve a move up to Group One company.

“He’s come out of the race really well and we were delighted with the determination and courage he showed, it was a really pleasing success,” said Cox.

“We’ve got to decide where we’re going next now, but he’s shown he doesn’t mind a bit of ease in the ground.

A Bit Of Spirit (second left) winning at Sandown
A Bit Of Spirit (second left) winning at Sandown (Steven Paston/PA)

“He’s in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere in France and in the Dewhurst, but we’ll allow him this week and then move forward accordingly.

“We’ve got choices and they’re all available. We’ve had such a dry summer and with the weather just beginning to take a turn, we might just watch and feel how everything pans out.

“We’re all still very much on a high from the success at the weekend.”

While A Bit Of Spirit’s next target is still to be determined, it appears Richmond Stakes scorer Coppull will bid to get back on track in Newmarket’s Middle Park Stakes later this month after finishing fifth in a red-hot Prix Morny when last seen.

“The idea would be to head to the Middle Park,” continued Cox. “He’s less proven on an easier surface and since coming home from France we’ve been a bit gentler with him but I’m sure we can resume a positive approach with him soon and look forward to the Middle Park as our next intended target.”

Coppull (right) winning the Richmond Stakes at Goodwood
Coppull (right) winning the Richmond Stakes at Goodwood (Andrew Matthews/PA)

He went on: “It was very very quick ground over there in Deauville. We were drawn on a wing with the American horse (Outfielder) on the other side. We were thinking he would go and make the running and we were caught a little bit wide and he was a bit too keen and to be fair, the ground was quick enough for him.”

Cox will also go in search of further two-year-old riches with Song Of The Clyde who will now take a well-known path to Doncaster’s Weatherbys Scientific £300,000 2-Y-O Stakes on September 11 after already picking up one huge bounty with victory at York last month.

The Middleham Park Racing-owned son of Sergei Prokofiev cashed in over £300,000 in prize-money when giving the Beechdown Stables handler a third-straight win in the Harry’s Half Million By Goffs sales race.

“I think he’s well enough qualified for the Weatherbys race at Doncaster and it’s six and a half, which I think will be within his compass,” said Cox.

“That will be our intended route and would mirror the same step we took with Dragon Leader who won the same race at York in 2023 before running very well (to finish second) in the Doncaster race.”

A Bit Of Spirit shows plenty of heart in thrilling Solario finish

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A Bit Of Spirit continued Clive Cox’s good recent run when coming out on top in a tremendous four-way finish to the BetMGM Solario Stakes at Sandown.

The most experienced runner in the field having had four previous starts, Rossa Ryan set out to put that experience to good use by heading to the front in the Group Three affair.

He looked something of a sitting duck two furlongs out, as Royal Ascot winner Humidity, Brian Meehan’s Oceans Four and eventually Pacific Avenue, who was off the bridle a long way from home, made it a four-way go, each of them briefly looking the likely winner at some stage.

Pacific Avenue was first to fold and finished a clear fourth, albeit beaten less than half a length, while Oceans Four was leaning into Humidity by now, but was marginally in front of him. A Bit Of Spirit battled back, however, and crucially had his head down where it mattered.

A photo was called, and it was Cox – who won a valuable prize at York last week with Song Of The Clyde – who heard his horse called the winner. Oceans Four crossed the line in second and the Andrew Balding-trained Humidity in third, but those placings were reversed by the stewards

Cox said: “He’s got remarkable courage and really digs deep. He’s so tough, I think he was beaten for a minute and has got back up and I’m so proud.

“We had no idea if he would cope with condition this easy and certainly we haven’t seen any ground like this all summer, but he’s all heart and so tough and I’m very pleased.

“He’s done nothing but improve with confidence and with that confidence he has displayed more ability, but the fighting quality has been there from the get go.

“Even on his first start he showed those qualities and even though he was quite green at that stage he’s got more battle-hardened now and is displaying more and more courage.

“Rossa was great there and he had all confidence he would handle the ground and it was proved rightly that was the case. I’m thrilled he’s taken this step today.”

A Bit Of Spirit holds a plethora of entries for top two-year-old contests in the latter stages of the season and Cox is now keen to continue aiming high.

He added: “I’m pleased to enjoy today and I think he’s a tough, hardy two-year-old so we can keep pushing with that in mind.

“Now we know he handles the ground we can plot accordingly and he’s got all the options wide open.

“He’s well entered and he’s in the Royal Lodge, but I’m not sure if we would prefer to stay at seven furlongs and he’s in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere in France and all those races. I’m just thrilled we can discuss all the options and hopefully make the right decisions.

“From next year’s point of view, we probably stepped up to a mile early enough at Salisbury but the fact he can go on soft ground gives me confidence we can keep going this year and hopefully he may develop further next year.

“I’m delighted for the owners (Paul and Clare Rooney) who have been big supporters and it’s nice for them to have a horse like this for the big stage. It’s a joy to train nice horses for nice people and a privilege to make a living out of a passion really.”

Spirit willing ally for Cox in search of Stonehenge prize

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A Bit Of Spirit will bid to regain the winning thread when he returns to the familiar territory of Salisbury to step up to a mile in the British Stallion Studs EBF Stonehenge Stakes on Wednesday.

Clive Cox’s talented youngster impressed at the Wiltshire track when defying a penalty there on his second start, and after being narrowly denied when upped in class for Ascot’s Pat Eddery Stakes he now tries his hand once again at Listed level, against just two rivals.

Although low in numbers, however, the race is not devoid of quality and Cox has the utmost respect for John and Thady Gosden’s Vintage Stakes runner-up Morris Dancer, who looks set to present a stern challenge in a race the Lambourn handler won with Cobh in 2020.

“Obviously there’s only three runners, but there is healthy competition and Morris Dancer was a very respectful second in the Group Two at Goodwood,” said Cox.

“I’m very happy though that my fellow is in good form and he ran a blinder at Ascot. He’s a course winner at Salisbury as well so I’m relishing the opportunity to run him and fingers crossed he can run well.

“We always thought he could take the step up to a mile and this seems like a sensible opportunity on a course he has won at. He’s hit the line really well each time he has run, so I see no reason not to go to a mile and I really hope it is in his compass.”

The Stonehenge Stakes is one of two Listed events on the Salisbury card, with a field of nine assembled for the British Stallion Studs EBF Upavon Fillies’ Stakes.

Ralph Beckett’s Revoir was not disgraced in the Oaks on her penultimate start and is fancied to be one of the leading players, with Owen Burrows’ Azaniya going in search of a hat-trick after wins in a Newmarket novice event then a Windsor handicap.