Tag Archive for: Coppull

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.”

Cox has Coppull booked for Prix Morny mission

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After lighting up a gloomy Goodwood with his Richmond Stakes triumph, it could be next stop Deauville for Coppull, as Clive Cox eyes a raid on the Sumbe Prix Morny on Sunday week.

Cox landed the Morny with Reckless Abandon in 2012 and a cross-Channel trip with the exciting son of Bated Breath would represent a “well-trodden path” for the handler, who also saddled Golden Horde to finish third in the French Group One after winning the Richmond.

“He’s in great form and we were very pleased that race took place before the rain fell at Goodwood,” said Cox, reflecting on his colt’s Group Two success on what was a miserable afternoon subsequently interrupted by heavy rainfall and lightning.

“I’ve been delighted with how he has come out of that and all being well he will head to the Prix Morny where he won’t be penalised for his success, it’s a well-trodden path.

“I would be very hopeful conditions remain dry and even though his sister has won on soft ground he has very much been at home on a quicker surface.”

Coppull’s two-length triumph over Aidan O’Brien’s Puerto Rico confirmed the promise of his fine third in the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot and it is the form of that contest – with recent Phoenix Stakes scorer Power Blue behind in fifth – which is convincing Cox he has a smart juvenile on his hands.

Connections all smiles - despite the weather!
Connections were all smiles despite the weather at Goodwood (PA)

“His form was boosted again at the weekend by the Amo horse who was behind us at Ascot and I see no reason to be anything but pleased with the progress our horse is making,” continued Cox.

“He took the step up to Group Two in his stride and that has vindicated a further step up at this stage.”

Among the Morny opposition is set to be the Wesley Ward-trained Outfielder, who is part-owned by MLB Hall of Famer Jayson Werth, who has recently played a starring roll in the Netflix series ‘Race for the Crown’.

Coppull braves Goodwood downpour in Richmond Stakes

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Clive Cox won the Markel Richmond Stakes for the third time in seven years as Coppull ran out a comfortable winner at Goodwood, in a race run in torrential rain.

Following on from Golden Horde in 2019 and Supremacy 12 months later, Cox bided his time with the son of Bated Breath after a meritorious run at Royal Ascot.

He finished third behind Gstaad in the Coventry Stakes there and paid the winner a handsome compliment, always looking in control under David Probert.

Aidan O’Brien’s Puerto Rico finished second for the third race in a row, but never looked like getting on terms with the two-length winner.

Eve Johnson Houghton’s Havana Hurricane was last at the halfway stage and while he did make plenty of progress, his run eventually flattened out and he finished third.

Cox said: “I was worried about soft ground because he’s got such a beautiful action on a nice surface. He’s very quick and did that really well.

“I’m still not sure he’ll go on really soft ground so if we’d been in the next race it would have been harder work, but he’s still very good and he showcased that today.

“I think he’s very gifted and he’s a proper six-furlong horse so usual plans from here, Middle Park will be the end goal.”

O’Brien said of Puerto Rico: ‘‘I’m very happy with that. It was a lovely run and I’d say he’d be happy going up to seven furlongs.”

Johnson Houghton felt the rain had already got into the ground, blunting Havana Hurricane’s speed.

She said: “The ground was just a bit loose and that impacted on his turn of foot, but he’s run a lovely race.

“I’m really pleased, the horse in front is rated 102 and the horse in front of him is rated 104 – we’ve turned the form around with Maximised so I’m happy.

“He tries really hard, he’s an absolute legend and we love him.”

Coppull on course for Richmond test

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Clive Cox is relishing the opportunity to unleash Coventry Stakes third Coppull in the Markel Richmond Stakes, as he seeks a third success in the Qatar Goodwood Festival contest.

The Lambourn handler landed back-to-back victories of the Group Two event with Supremacy and Golden Horde respectively in 2019 and 2020 and has bided his time with his latest candidate after the son of Bated Breath outran odds of 66-1 at Royal Ascot.

“I was really pleased with his effort in the Coventry and I just wanted to give him a little bit of time as he’s still developing,” said Cox.

“He’s done nothing but please so far and this is another big step, but we really like him.

“It’s nice to be heading to these races with horses in form.”

Cox is well known for his exploits in the juvenile division and has another smart youngster on his hands in the form of A Bit Of Spirit, who may have lost his unbeaten record when touched off in the Listed Pat Eddery Stakes on Friday but left Ascot with his reputation enhanced.

“I’m very happy and he’s come out the race well and he’s another highly regarded horse we are happy is heading the right way,” continued Cox.

“On a big, wide open track it would have been nice if the winner (Time To Turn) had come a bit closer to us in the finish, but William (Buick, winning rider) knew exactly what he was doing and we were witness to that at Newbury first time out.

“He (A Bit Of Spirit) gets seven furlongs as well, we’ll just give him a few days before we figure out what we do. He’s a very pleasing two-year-old who we hope keeps going.”