Hot to Trot: Cox continuing in right direction

Flat trainer:

Clive Cox

Clive Cox celebrated two big wins last month thanks to My Dream Boat in the Group 3 Gordon Richards Stakes at Sandown and Profitable in a very competitive Group 3 Palace House Stakes at Newmarket, and his horses have continued to run well since. Fear Or Favour scored at Brighton early this month, while Threat Assessed added his name to the Cox yard’s tally when drawing clear in a Chepstow maiden last Tuesday; the latter looks a horse to keep on side for the foreseeable future, his tail-flashing put down to residual greenness at this stage. Zeehan looked the winner for most of the way—went shorter than 13/8-on in running for the third successive race—when second to Visage Blanc at Salisbury last Wednesday, while two-year-old Harry Angel would have made a winning debut in a few more strides at Ascot just over a week ago, splitting two colts with experience. Cox has a number of horses pencilled in to run over the next week, including Tears of The Sun who made a winning reappearance in a Brighton handicap late last month and could return to listed company at Ayr on Wednesday. Mr Sunshine cost only £8,000 as a yearling but ran well on his debut when runner-up at Bath early this month and looks another juvenile open to improvement for the Cox stable, especially when he tackles further than five furlongs. Inclination wasn’t disgraced on her first outing for Cox (had left W. P. Browne in Ireland) when third in a maiden at the same track last month and could be of interest if switched to a handicap there on Wednesday; she did cost €70,000 as a yearling after all. Another who could fly under the radar somewhat is Cape Icon who hasn’t run since 2014. He was bitterly disappointing when last seen, but his absence since suggests all might not have been well with him that day, and he may be worth another chance given the strength of his debut maiden win at Nottingham (beat two next-time-out winners).

Jumps trainer:

Alan King

The Alan King stable has saddled six winner from 22 runners (27%) in the new National Hunt season, as well as a whole host of horses that have run well in defeat, and further winners should flow this week given how many horses it has entered. Those of particular interest include veteran The Tourard Man, who appeared to relish the return to firmer ground when winning readily at Exeter early this month, and the lightly-raced Lady Persephone, who justified short odds in a mares’ novice at Wincanton two days later by 11 lengths and remains open to improvement. Presenting Lisa could also be worth a second look as she made a winning handicap debut over hurdles at Market Rasen last October and seemed unsuited by the step up to three miles when down the field at Kempton the following month. She looked a big threat for most of the way in that latter race and remains capable of better, though the market will provide the best clues on her return given she’s been off since.

Under the Radar:

William Muir

The William Muir yard may have been responsible for just three winners over the last four weeks, but it has also saddled stacks of horses that have run to form according to the Timeform metrics and more winners shouldn’t be far away. Of those entered in the coming days, Loveisreckless outran his odds of 50/1 when third in a Wolverhampton maiden on his recent return, seemingly helped by a combination of first-time blinkers and a longer trip, and will go on improving, while White Shaheen finished mid-field in what looked a competitive three-year-old handicap at Doncaster last time and may yet do better, perhaps when back on a softer surface. Another three-year-old from the Muir yard who may be worth an interest is Argyle who attracted some market support on his handicap debut/reappearance at Windsor a month ago and finished second. He probably doesn’t need any excuses for that effort but he’s still with the potential to do better given he cost €90,000 as a yearling. Harry Holland finished well held at Wolverhampton last month when attempting to land a hat-trick, but he was simply too keen for his own good and should bounce back next time provided he settles better. He cost 150,000 guineas as a yearling and only made his debut in February.