Cox aiming to realise Classic ambition at the Breeders’ Cup

Trainer sends both Knicks Go and Essential Quality for Del Mar highlight.

After a record-equalling four wins at the Breeders’ Cup 12 months ago, Brad Cox is in pole position to land the Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic this year.

Knicks Go and Essential Quality give the Eclipse Award-winning trainer a formidable hand in the showpiece event at Del Mar on Saturday week – and Cox is in no doubt as to what victory in the $6million contest would mean.

He said: “I don’t look back a lot on what we have achieved.

“I think training horses is a lot like an NFL football coach – it’s fun to win a game, and when you win a race you can enjoy it for about 15 minutes, and then you have to start getting some ideas ready in regards to mapping out a schedule.

“It’s demanding, it’s thrilling, it’s fun and I enjoy it. But it is a lot of work, and I don’t really think too much about what we have accomplished as opposed to moving forward and trying to do bigger and better things.

“There’s a lot of things we’d like to do, and one of them is the Breeders’ Cup Classic. It’s a huge race here in America. It’s something we have only had one chance in (so far) – we ran Owendale a couple of years ago, and he didn’t fare very well, so hopefully we can be a little more effective next Saturday.”

Successful in the Dirt Mile at Keeneland 12 months ago and then winner of Pegasus World Cup, Knicks Go is a five-year-old – while Essential Quality represents the Classic generation, with his only defeat coming when a close fourth in the Kentucky Derby won by Medina Spirit, after which he landed the Belmont Stakes.

Assessing the pair and the question of whether the more mature Knicks Go still has an advantage over his younger stablemate at this time of the year, Cox said: “I think in this case (age) is a non factor – I think it’s a very good crop of three-year-olds. Essential Quality has really developed physically, he seems to be developing physically all the time.

“I’m not saying he has completely finished developing – he is three, but he’s off to stud after the Breeders’ Cup. He looks tremendous and is doing well, and I have to say right now they are pretty much on a par.

“Both horses have had a great year and are doing really, really well. We’re excited about putting them on the plane on Monday and hopefully we can add to their resumé on Breeders’ Cup Saturday.”

On the subject of either of his contenders being worthy of securing Horse of the Year honours should they claim the Classic, Cox said: “I think so, I don’t know how they wouldn’t be, to be honest.”

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