Clive Cox hopes the decision to give promising juvenile Coppull more time off following his excellent run in defeat at Royal Ascot can be rewarded later this month in the Markel Richmond Stakes at Goodwood.
The Lambourn handler intends to aim the son of Bated Breath at the six furlong Group Two test, which he has won twice before with Golden Horde in 2019 and Supremacy in 2020, on July 31st.
After making a triumphant debut at Leicester over five furlongs the David Armstrong-owned colt backed that effort up when outrunning his 66/1 price tag to finish third, upped an extra furlong, at the Royal meeting in the Coventry Stakes.
And having decided to swerve an appearance at the same level in the Kingdom Of Bahrain July Stakes at Newmarket last week, Cox hopes his patience can be vindicated at the Sussex venue.
Cox said: “The plan is to go to the Richmond with Coppull and he worked really well this morning. He was drawn away from the winner, and the second, in the Coventry Stakes, but I was very happy with his run there. He is in good order and he has strengthened up again, which is why we gave him that extra time and he has duly flourished.
“Going to Newmarket for the July Stakes was soon enough after Ascot and we were keen to give him that bit more time. Sometimes when you try and back that Ascot form up quickly it doesn’t always work out and we thought it was more beneficial doing what we have done.
“We have won the Coventry Stakes and been placed in it and he was giving me enough confidence that he was ready to take that step up in class and he backed that up with his result. He is a lovely horse that is developing all the time.”
A drop down in class could be on the cards for stablemate Jasour, who ran a fine race in defeat when finishing sixth in the Group One Al Basti Equiworld, Dubai July Cup at Newmarket on Saturday.
Following that run Cox has earmarked the Group Three Phoenix Sprint Stakes at the Curragh on August 9th as the next port of call for the son of Havana Grey ahead of a potential return to the top table in the Betfair Sprint Cup at Haydock Park.
Cox added: “I thought he was very unlucky as didn’t quite get the gaps, but it was a big run and was beaten less than three lengths. I’ve got confidence in what we have got. It is just a case of things falling right on the day. He still has all the ability and when things fall his way he will run to a very high level.
“He is in the Sprint Cup at Haydock Park, but he is also entered in the Group Three Phoenix Sprint Stakes at the Curragh on August 9th. If the ground is right that is a possibility then beyond that there is the Sprint Cup. He has grown up a lot and he is mentally more mature. Even though he was slow away on Saturday I very much hope he can build on that promising run.”
Stable stalwart Diligent Harry could look to open his account on turf on Saturday by making a fifth appearance in the Group Three Hallgarten and Novum Wines Hackwood Stakes at Newbury.
The gelded son of Due Diligence secured the biggest victory of his career last time out with a front-running success in the Group Three JenningsBet Chipchase Stakes at Newcastle. However, Cox has warned that the evergreen seven-year-old will only line up at the Berkshire venue if the ground is suitable.
He added: “He does have a Group Three penalty to carry, but he is in excellent form. He is Group One and Group Two placed on turf, but he is yet to win on it which is slightly unusual for a horse of his ability. I couldn’t have been more pleased with how he did it at Newcastle, but I’m a little concerned about the rain. Hopefully, we don’t get the worst of the forecast. The likelihood is we will declare him and go from there.”
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