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Cox relishing chance of another shot at Pinatubo in Dewhurst with Positive

Positive (blue and white striped cap) gives vain chase to Pinatubo at Goodwood
Positive (blue and white striped cap) gives vain chase to Pinatubo at GoodwoodCredit: Mark Cranham (racingpost.com/photos)

Clive Cox is giving out Positive vibes about his Solario Stakes winner getting closer to the unbeaten Pinatubo than he could at Goodwood when they meet in Saturday's Darley Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket.

Positive was beaten five lengths by Godolphin's juvenile sensation in the Group 2 Vintage Stakes at Glorious Goodwood, staying on steadily after a slow start.

The pair are among 11 in Saturday's Group 1 showpiece after Tattersalls Stakes winner Wichita was supplemented on Monday.


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Cox said: "Like everyone else I have been extremely taken with Pinatubo, there’s no disputing his quality, but I am hopeful that Positive can show the necessary improvement to close the gap with him on Saturday.

"Positive is still on an upward curve and has done really well since he won the Solario. He had a proper race that day and also impressed us very much when coming up against Pinatubo.

Positive (blue and white cap): landed the Solario Stakes at Sandown
Positive (right) holds off Kameko in the Solario Stakes at SandownCredit: Mark Cranham (racingpost.com/photos)

"We have had a dry summer, so my opinion may be based more on theory than fact, but I would like to think that Positive will be at home on the type of easier ground he is likely to encounter on Saturday."

Cox is looking for his first winner in Saturday's Group 1 feature after two placings with Kodi Bear who was second in 2014 and Xtension, who went on to Group 1 success in Hong Kong after finishing third in 2009.

If bookmakers and official figures are to believed it is all negative for Positive as he is 12-1 behind the odds-on favourite Pinatubo, who was given a higher BHA two-year-old rating of 128 than Frankel achieved after his National Stakes romp last time. Racing Post Ratings agrees that Positive has 19lb to find with the favourite.


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