By Daithi Harvey
Clive Cox is cautiously optimistic the injury sustained by Harry Angel (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) in the stalls just as the field got underway in the G1 Diamond Jubilee S. at Ascot on Saturday is not as serious as originally feared.
“He has a cut on his near hind fetlock joint which was very concerning,” said Cox on Sunday. “That was flushed and the vets did a very good job at the racecourse and were very helpful indeed. He's a little bit stiff this morning but a couple of hours after the race he'd improved a lot.”
Despite the cut Harry Angel completed the race but was eased inside the last furlong by jockey Adam Kirby and while the episode was disappointing for connections, Cox is aware it could have been worse and he is quite hopeful to have the Godolphin-owned colt back on track again before too long.
“I'm hoping in light of the situation that we may have got out of this lightly,” he said. “It's a superficial cut but it's on a joint so there's not a lot of flesh there. The concern was potential infection but we've treated that accordingly. He'll be quiet for a week to protect it but it's a bit early to say if he'll be running in the July Cup, we'll just sit on it for a week.”
The incident sees Harry Angel's bad run of luck at Ascot continue and it is the only course at which he has been beaten having now met with defeat on five occasions at the Berkshire venue.
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