Clive Cox

NEWMARKET, England--Fifteen-year-old Ruairi Kilmartin was left speechless after his Dark Angel (Ire) filly--a mere €7,000 buy at the Goffs November Foal Sale--had provided him with a fairytale result when selling to Paul Corrigan for 70,000gns on the opening day of the Tattersalls Somerville Yearling Sale. "No, never," an incredulous Kilmartin replied when asked whether he'd dared to dream of lot 159 making that sort of money. "I thought she'd make 20 or 30 grand, but that's exceeded my expectations. We were flat out there yesterday evening with 40 or 50...

DONCASTER, England--Clive Cox might not have a degree in mechanical engineering, but it's fair to say that there have been few better trainers than him over the years when it comes to masterminding the career trajectory of a 'Donny Rocket'. Think Harry Angel (Ire), the July Cup and Sprint Cup scorer bought by Cox for just £44,000 at the 2015 edition of the Goffs UK Doncaster Premier Yearling Sale, or the Prix de l'Abbaye heroine Gilt Edge Girl (GB) (Monsieur Bond {Ire}), his very first Group 1 winner who he'd...

Clive Cox trainee Diligently (GB) (Harry Angel {Ire}--Anna Of Lorraine {GB}, by Dutch Art {GB}) had failed to strike in five prior outings, but timed his breakthrough success to perfection and swooped late to garner Thursday's £626,462 Harry's Half Million By Goffs Premier Yearling Stakes at York. The February-foaled bay, a 30,000gns Tattersalls December foal turned £100,000 Goffs UK Premier yearling, was positioned in a handy seventh after an alert getaway in this six-furlong contest. Inching closer from halfway, the 22-1 chance was bustled along to go fourth entering the...

Palladium (Ger) (Gleneagles {Ire}) could continue to follow in the footsteps of Fantastic Moon (Ger) (Sea The Moon {Ger}) after keeping the G1 Deutsches Derby trophy in the hands of owners Liberty Racing with his victory at Hamburg on Sunday. Trained by Henk Grewe and ridden by German-born jockey Thore Hammer-Hansen, Palladium ran out a surprise winner of the Classic as he edged ahead in the final strides to get the verdict by a neck, having raced away from the other principals after being brought over to the stand's side...

Ballydoyle's Derby-winning TDN Rising Star City Of Troy (Justify) will face seven rivals in Saturday's G1 Coral-Eclipse Stakes at Sandown following Thursday morning's confirmation stage. While the self-titled "clash of the generations" is missing key representation among the older brigade after it was announced that White Birch (GB) (Ulysses {Ire}) would be missing from the line-up, the four other 3-year-olds preparing to take on the long odds-on favourite include Jeff Smith's smart Ghostwriter (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) and trainer Clive Cox is hopeful of a bold show. "I think we are all realistic...

Ghostwriter (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), last seen finishing fourth in the G1 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket, is said to be an intended runner in Sunday's G1 Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly as he tries to provide trainer Clive Cox with a first Classic success. One of 21 colts still in contention for the Prix du Jockey Club, Ghostwriter shaped as if ready for a step up in trip when beaten four and a half lengths on the Rowley Mile, form which received a couple of boosts on Saturday when...

Trainer Clive Cox has confirmed that all roads lead to Royal Ascot for Kerdos (Ire) following the four-year-old's victory in Saturday's G2 Temple S. at Haydock. Cox was winning the race for a third time having previously struck in 2016 with Kerdos's sire, Profitable (Ire), and the following year with Priceless (GB) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}), a half-sister to Kerdos's granddam, Ballyalla (GB) (Mind Games {GB}). Profitable went on to win the G1 King's Stand S. at Royal Ascot on his next start and that five-furlong sprint--which will be run...

Springing a surprise in the G2 Temple S. at Haydock on Saturday, John Connolly and Alan Spence's Kerdos (Ire) (Profitable {Ire}) became the latest from the never-ending Clive Cox manufacturing line to garner one of Britain's big sprints. Boasting just one black-type success so far in his career, having mastered the Listed Bullet Sprint S. in September, the 4-year-old had caught the eye when staying on into fifth in Newmarket's G3 Palace House S. three weeks ago but still had a jump to make to get to this level. Using...

The G1 King Charles III S. at Royal Ascot is likely to be next port of call for Diligent Harry (GB) (Due Diligence) following his third-place finish in last week's G2 Duke Of York S. on the Knavesmire, an effort trainer Clive Cox described as "a career best". The six-year-old Diligent Harry won a pair of Listed races on the all-weather earlier this year before travelling to Dubai where he ran a huge race when finishing a close-up third in the G1 Al Quoz Sprint on World Cup night. Back...

Owner Jeff Smith has his eyes fixed on a breakthrough Classic victory and could have his strongest hand yet with Ghostwriter (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) and See The Fire (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) on course for the 2,000 and 1,000 Guineas respectively.  First up for his shot at Classic honours is the Clive Cox-trained Ghostwriter, who was unbeaten during his two-year-old campaign, finishing off by dazzling over the Guineas track and trip when claiming the Royal Lodge S. That kind of profile has Smith excited for when his son...

Jeff Smith's unbeaten G2 Juddmonte Royal Lodge S. winner Ghostwriter (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) is pleasing trainer Clive Cox in his early preparation towards a potential start in the Qipco 2,000 Guineas back at the Rowley Mile. "He's done really well, he had a super break and he's been back cantering for three or four weeks," Cox said. "We're thrilled with the way he's developed over the winter, he's looking even stronger. "We were delighted with the campaign we enjoyed with him last year and we're all looking forward to...

Unbeaten entering Saturday's G2 Juddmonte Royal Lodge S. at Newmarket but untried in black-type company, Jeff Smith's Ghostwriter (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) came through the test with flying colours to count himself among the 2024 Classic contenders. Always travelling easily in the wake of Ballydoyle's front-running G2 Champions Juvenile S. runner-up Capulet (Justify), the 100-30 second favourite who hails from the Juddmonte family of a former giant to master this Rowley Mile in Zafonic took the measure of that 7-4 favourite when sweeping to the fore two out. Pushed out...