Canny Cox keeps turning bargains into gilt-edged successes
After all the hype you would think only American Wesley Ward could train sprinters. But if Britain has an ace of its own it is the unassuming Clive Cox.
Like Ward, Cox has made a habit of turning cheaply bought horses into big-race winners, just without the razzmatazz that accompanies a Ward winner.
Cox has produced the Group 1-winning sprinters Reckless Abandon, Gilt Edge Girl, Lethal Force and Profitable, and many expect him to add another with Harry Angel in Friday's Commonwealth Cup.
Nor is the former jump jockey a one-dimensional operator having trained My Dream Boat to win last year's Prince of Wales's Stakes.
Queen Mary winner Heartache was his seventh Royal Ascot success.
"He's a great trainer and doesn't get enough credit really in my view," said Heartache's jockey Adam Kirby.
Cox rode more than 100 winners over jumps and after retiring from the saddle worked as assistant to Mikey Heaton-Ellis until his death in 1999 when he took over the licence himself at Barbury Castle.
His career has flourished since he moved to John Francome's Beechdown Stables in Lambourn, from where he registered his first Group winner Beacon Lodge ten years ago.
Cox not only backs his own judgement as a trainer but in the auction ring too.
He bought Harry Angel himself for £44,000, Profitable for 95,000gns and Reckless Abandon (£24,000). All three were sold on to Godolphin. Group 2 winner Kodi Bear cost 62,000gns, Lethal Force €8,500 and Gilt Edge Girl 17,000gns.
The Cox plate on Wednesday night would not have contained beans on toast.
COX IN SEVENTH HEAVEN AT ROYAL ASCOT
Year Race Horse SP
2003 Britannia HandicapNew Seeker 16-1
2005 Royal Hunt CupNew Seeker 11-1
2012 Norfolk StakesReckless Abandon 4-1
2013 Diamond Jubilee Stakes Lethal Force 11-1
2016 King’s Stand Stakes Profitable 4-1
Prince of Wales’s Stakes My Dream Boat 16-1
2017 Queen Mary Stakes Heartache 5-1
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