Clive Cox planning attack on big juvenile prizes with star pair

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.

“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.”

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.”