It is fair to say that Clive Cox is almost a household name in Britain after the exploits of Harry Angel (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) last Saturday, but at Maisons-Laffitte he was already established in the consciousness of the PMU faithful with two wins in the last five runnings of the G2 Prix Robert Papin. On Sunday, he could make it a 50% strike rate since Reckless Abandon (GB) (Exchange Rate) provided the first in 2012 with the unbeaten filly Heartache (GB) (Kyllachy {GB}). Subduing Wesley Ward's big hope Happy Like a Fool (Distorted Humor) in the G2 Queen Mary S. over five furlongs at Royal Ascot on June 21, The Hot To Trot Syndicate's bay has plenty in hand on these rivals.
“This is a race we've been looking at since she won the Queen Mary,” her trainer commented. “Although she's taking on the boys, she does get a very handy sex allowance and also escapes a penalty for her Ascot win. Taking that into account, on the ratings she comes out very well and it just makes sense to run her in this without a penalty rather than take on fillies with one. Another bonus of running in this is that she's only stepping up in trip half a furlong rather than going up to six straight away. I'm not sure she'd ever want the ground too soft, but she is by Kyllachy. On what we've seen so far, though, she'll be at her best on quick ground.”
Her opponents include the June 22 G2 Norfolk S. fourth Frozen Angel (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) and that form has subsequently been boosted by the G2 July S. success of the third Cardsharp (GB) (Lonhro {Aus}) and listed win of the also-ran Havana Grey (GB) (Havana Gold {Ire}). The usual Italian presence is provided by Il Cavallo In Testa's June 25 G3 Premio Primi Passi winner Ipompieridiviggiu (Ity) (Pastoral Pursuits {GB}), while Criquette Head-Maarek is looking for a seventh renewal courtesy of High Dream Milena (Fr) (Dabirsim {Fr}), who beat the subsequent winner Tantheem (GB) (Teofilo {Ire}) on debut over six furlongs at Chantilly on June 17.
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
