Search
Punchestown 2024
Punchestown 2024
- irishracing.com
- Punchestown
- News
- Cox hopeful ahead of Stereo bid
Cox hopeful ahead of Stereo bid
Kevin Manning will ride Stereo Love for Clive Cox
© Photo Healy Racing
Clive Cox sends his second runner to Dundalk as Stereo Love forms part of a two-pronged overseas raid on the Listed Irish Stallion Farms EBF Cooley Fillies Stakes.
Cox's previous runner at the County Louth venue, Black Spirit, finished in midfield behind subsequent dual Group One winner, Declaration Of War, in the 2012 renewal of the Group Three Diamond Stakes.
Stereo Love arrives for this mile contest on the back of handicap successes at Bath and Kempton and the Lambourn handler was pleased to hear that his representative had drawn stall two.
He said: "I've been busy at the sales and I've not had a chance to look at the race but that draw is helpful.
"This filly is coming into the race on the back of two pleasing successes in handicap company and though this is clearly a step up we're happy that she's in great form.
"She held her form well last autumn as well and she's proven reliable at this time of year.
"She's very much at home on the all-weather surface - that means I'm very relaxed with conditions over there.
"We've obviously had the one runner there before so it's a case of trying to get a 50 per cent strike-rate.
"She's in great form and it's an opportunity to hopefully achieve some black type, which is why we're coming."
Cox has gone with the local knowledge by booking Kevin Manning for the mount on the Champs Elysees filly, while Donegal man Martin Harley takes the reins on Marco Botti's runner, Pelerin
The home team is led by Ger Lyons' Some Spirit and Michael Halford's Slipper Orchid
Slipper Orchid has been very profitable to follow at the Dowdallshill venue with her score standing at four wins from five efforts on the Polytrack.
Halford has a viable back-up, too, in Sea Coast who sports a first-time hood.
David Wachman, Aidan O'Brien and John Oxx are others that are two-handed in this valuable heat.