Tag Archive for: Clive Cox

Diligent Harry holds on for front-running Sprint verdict

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Diligent Harry was given an inspired ride by Kieran Shoemark to win a hot renewal of the BetUK All-Weather Sprint Championships Conditions Stakes at Newcastle.

Away well in the six-furlong event that brought All-Weather Championships Finals Day to a close, the 4-1 shot soon found himself on the front end and Shoemark seized the initiative aboard Clive Cox’s five-year-old to dictate matters.

At a track where it can be notoriously difficult to win from the front, Diligent Harry showed plenty of resolve when the talented cast of sprinters began to make their respective challenges and the son of Due Diligence always had extra in reserve – responding gamely to Shoemark’s urgings to repel both Witch Hunter and 7-4 favourite Annaf in a thrilling finish.

Diligent Harry and connections after winning the BetUK All-Weather Sprint Championships Conditions Stakes at Newcastle
Diligent Harry and connections after winning the BetUK All-Weather Sprint Championships Conditions Stakes at Newcastle (PA)

It was the second time the gelding has scooped prize-money on Finals Day having landed the three-year-old division at Lingfield in 2021 and his next outing could be in York’s 1895 Duke of York Clipper Stakes on May 18.

Cox said: “Nothing jumped well enough to lead him, ideally you’d be looking for something to give him a lead but it was wonderful.

“That’s twice on Good Friday now he’s collected. At Lingfield a couple of years ago and now here. Now I’m really looking forward to the summer with him.

“I think there’s a big pot on the turf to win with him. We’ve always thought highly of him and we’ve campaigned him accordingly. With a little bit of confidence, I think he can be exciting for the rest of the summer.

“He’s in the Duke of York but it’s exciting now, he’ll have got some confidence from that.

“Gelding has certainly helped him and he’s matured. I’m really excited.”

Shoemark said: “That was probably plan D. It didn’t go to plan at all, as Diligent Harry usually pulls himself up in front. I was talking to the other jockeys in the stalls and absolutely no one wanted to go forward. He pinged the gates and I had no choice in it.

“He travelled like a dream today, quickened really good from the two to the one, but I just felt that he was waiting for another horse in the last furlong.

“I had committed to him in all fairness, even though Vadream was in the race, and I was always going to ride him. I am just delighted for the whole team. He was the class horse in the race and he deserves it.”

Supremacy set to tackle Middle Park

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Clive Cox reports Supremacy to be on course for this month’s Juddmonte Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket, after recovering from a slight setback.

The impressive Richmond Stakes winner was ruled out of the Gimcrack at York with a bad scope, having missed the Prix Morny at Deauville because of the testing conditions.

“He’s in great form, and we are heading towards the Middle Park – that’s his intended target at the end of the season,” said Cox.

“It’s just great he’s another high-class two-year-old performer (for us).”

Cox ran Nando Parrado in the Morny, and the shock Coventry Stakes scorer did not let the Lambourn trainer down – taking the runner-up spot behind Campanelle.

“He is back very well indeed from his second in the Morny,” he added.

“Although we have entries covered over six furlongs in the Middle Park, similarly the autumn ground holds no fears with him, and we’re keen to give him the option of stepping up to seven furlongs as well at this stage.

“He’s in the Dewhurst (also at Newmarket) and the (Prix Jean-Luc) Lagardere (at ParisLongchamp) as well. He’s well entered – and I’m thrilled to report he’s come back from a very solid performance, being second in the Morny to a very good filly.

“We’ll play the cards accordingly and keep an open mind.”

Cox has a strong hand in the juvenile department, with Cobh another class act in his yard.

Cobh’s victory in a Listed race at Salisbury was given a boost when the runner-up Fancy Man won the Ascendant Stakes at Haydock on Saturday.

“He’s another well-entered individual that won the Stonehenge at Salisbury very convincingly over a mile,” he said.

“It was great for Kodi Bear’s first crop of two-year-olds to have a classy performer like him carrying the flag.

“He was second in Listed company on quick ground at Ascot – so he’s also very versatile – and I think although he’s won over a mile, we’re keeping an open mind on seven furlong races as well.

“He’s a horse we’re very pleased with.”

Cobh is likely to tackle a Group race next rather than take up his entry in the Weatherbys Racing Bank £200,000 2yo Stakes at Doncaster on Thursday.

“I think he’s probably going to stay in Pattern company,” said Cox.

“He is in the Royal Lodge – and he’s well entered, with no going concerns either.”

Golden Horde will head back to Ascot next

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Golden Horde will head for the Qipco British Champions Sprint at Ascot next month, following his excellent run in the Betfair Sprint Cup.

Clive Cox’s consistent three-year-old was out on his own on the far side of the track and was just touched off for second place as Dream Of Dreams took the honours from Glen Shiel at Haydock on Saturday.

All three are likely to re-oppose at Ascot on October 17, with Golden Horde returning to the scene of his Commonwealth Cup victory in June.

“He’ll most definitely go there,” said Cox.

“That was definitely the worst ground he’s run on, which means we have a very versatile performer that can perform on quicker or slower ground – and that is always pleasing.

“He ran a super race. He was drawn in the middle and he would have had to cross over some pretty well-used ground even on the outer track that hadn’t been used as much.

“They’d had big fields on that side, and we opted to stay on the fresh ground where he was drawn.”

In the circumstances, Cox was impressed with how Golden Horde adapted to the conditions.

“Haydock is a strange place, and many horses don’t handle that ground when it gets that testing, so we were even more pleased he was able to be so versatile,” he added.

“Basically he’s run an absolute blinder. He’s been the most consistent Group One horse I’ve ever had.

“He’s got an amazing constitution – and of the three-year-old generation, I think he’s equipped himself exceptionally well.

“He’s a top-class horse. He’s backed his performances up run after run. I’m sure he’ll continue to please in the highest company.”

Ward eyes more Morny glory with Campanelle

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Campanelle will try to emulate Lady Aurelia by supplementing Queen Mary glory with victory in the Darley Prix Morny at Deauville.

Lady Aurelia did the double for trainer Wesley Ward in 2016, giving the American handler a second Morny win following No Nay Never three years earlier.

Campanelle will try to make it three for Ward on Sunday, with jockey Frankie Dettori circumventing Covid-19 quarantine restrictions by having stayed in France since riding a big-race double at Deauville last weekend – a decision that has delighted the trainer.

Frankie Dettori remained in France to ride at Deauville
Frankie Dettori remained in France to ride at Deauville (Edward Whitaker/PA)

Ward said: “She’s doing great. She’s been working real good – just cruising up and doing things nicely.

“I hope she’s got a good chance, hopefully the ground won’t be too soft.

“It’s great Frankie has stayed in France for the week so he can ride. He must fancy her chances, I guess, and it’s always good to have Frankie in your corner.”

Tactical represents The Queen in France
Tactical represents the Queen in France (Francesca Altoft/PA)

Tactical also struck gold at Royal Ascot in the Listed Windsor Castle Stakes and has since triumphed in fine style in the Group Two July Stakes at Newmarket.

Trained by Andrew Balding for the Queen, Tactical’s sights have been set on the Morny since his victory at Headquarters – and he will be partnered by Pierre-Charles Boudot in Normandy.

Her Majesty’s racing manager John Warren said: “Tactical left Kingsclere on Friday morning, with Andrew reporting that he couldn’t be happier with the horse.

“He has been aimed at this Group One since winning the July Stakes, and up to this point everything is going to plan.

“We are very hopeful he remains on target to give the Queen great pleasure with this cracking homebred.”

Nando Parrado was a shock winner at Royal Ascot
Nando Parrado was a shock winner at Royal Ascot (Megan Ridgwell/PA)

Nando Parrado was another to triumph at Royal Ascot, shocking his rivals as a 150-1 chance in the Coventry Stakes.

He has not raced since that victory in June, with trainer Clive Cox skipping a planned run at Chantilly last month when he was not completely satisfied with the Kodiac colt.

Nando Parrado is reportedly on top form now, though, with the possibility of easy ground not causing alarm.

Cox said: “I’m very pleased with him. Obviously his Coventry success was very pleasing, and we’ve had a nice healthy time in between.

“We had an entry in the Papin. He wasn’t quite right for that, and I’m pleased he’s in very good order and he’s heading over to France on Sunday.

“He won’t mind getting his toe in.”

Rhythm Master was a clear-cut winner on his debut at Haydock
Rhythm Master was a clear-cut winner on his debut at Haydock (Steve Davies/PA)

Rhythm Master will be taking a huge leap in class as he tackles Group One company on just his second start for trainer Richard Fahey and owner John Dance.

The Dark Angel colt won a Haydock novice last month and follows in the footsteps of Dance’s multiple Group One winner Laurens, who won first time out before pitching up in Group Three company in France.

The owner told Sky Sports Racing: “We’ve only ever really done this with Laurens – who went from novice to Group company also at Deauville – so to be doing this again and going two rungs higher, it feels very exciting but also incredibly scary at the same time.

Dance's superstar filly Laurens also followed a steep upward trajectory
Dance’s superstar filly Laurens also followed a steep upward trajectory (Mike Egerton/PA)

“We were looking at the races we were in and we just felt this was an opportunity. Richard obviously really likes the horse and felt that we should shoot for the stars.

“We were in both the Acomb and Gimcrack at York this week – we only entered the Prix Morny almost as a back-up in case the ground at York went really quick, but obviously it’s not quick anywhere at the moment.”

Megan Nicholls rode Rhythm Master at Haydock, but Cristian Demuro takes over in France.

Mick Channon’s Cairn Gorm – a Group Three winner at Deauville earlier this month – completes the British challenge.

Channon said: “He knows how to win, which is always a good thing. He’s always been a good horse, but it is a good race.

“He’s won at the track before, so we’ll see how we get on.”

Home hopes rest with Livachope, who is unbeaten in three for Jane Soubagne, Farfar, Acapulco Gold and Winvalchope.

On a card packed with Group-race action, the Darley Prix Jean Romanet is a second top-level contest – with Dettori on board Nazeef for John Gosden, as they bid to win the race for a second successive year after Coronet’s triumph 12 months ago.

Gosden’s son and assistant Thady has no qualms about Nazeef staying the trip, after she followed her sequence of six consecutive victories by finishing third in the Group One Qatar Nassau Stakes when stepped up to 10 furlongs for the first time.

Stamina did not appear to be a problem at Goodwood as she ran on late into a place.

Gosden said: “She’s in good form. She obviously ran very well (to win the Tattersalls Falmouth Stakes) at Newmarket and then stepped up in trip at Goodwood, where she ran well (again).

“This looks the obvious race – 10 furlongs for older fillies. I’d say you can be fairly confident that she stays 10 furlongs.”

Nazeef is the likely favourite in a field of 12, including Joseph O’Brien’s Leopardstown Listed winner Bolleville.