Prix Morny on Clive Cox’s mind for Jasour

Adam Morgan
August 7, 2023 4:19 pm

Deauville Group One pencilled in, with Gimcrack back-up plan.

Clive Cox will be keeping his eye on the weather forecast with a tilt at the Prix Morny a possibility for his crack two-year-old Jasour.

Although beaten a neck on debut, the son of Havana Grey gave a glimmer of his potential and having opened his account next time in a Nottingham maiden, he successfully moved up in class with a taking victory in the July Stakes at Newmarket.

He was due to try to build on that success in the Richmond Stakes at Goodwood last week, but with the ground turning soft and bigger assignments lying in wait, Cox decided to hold fire with his star speedster.

Jasour could now take aim at Deauville’s Prix Morny on August 20, but if conditions are testing across the Channel, he could be diverted to York’s Gimcrack Stakes five days later.

“He’s in the Morny and the Gimcrack,” said Cox. “Obviously the ground was quite soft in Deauville last weekend, but the forecast is hopefully a lot more settled and I hope that continues to be the case.

“If conditions fall suitable there, we would be very much pleased to be heading that way and with the Gimcrack the following week, we have options if weather conditions turn against us.

“That was our reason for there being no urgency to run in the Richmond with the conditions how they turned out. While I was very happy with the horse, we knew we had some serious targets we were inclined to run in as well and it made that decision more pleasing with that in mind.”

A run in the Morny would represent a first taste of Group One action for Jasour, but with a Group Two under his belt, Cox believes his charge has all the attributes to follow in the footsteps of his 2012 Deauville scorer Reckless Abandon and strike at the top-table.

He added: “I hope it (his class) was visible in the July Stakes. We held him in high regard and amongst our really nice team of two-year-olds at home, he was our only entry for the Gimcrack which confirms our thoughts prior to the July success.

“He has done everything really well and I think especially that last run, that was the first time that we probably achieved what we had been seeing at home on the track.

“It was pleasing that everyone got to see that and he is a horse that has always encouraged our opinion to think top-end and I hope that continues to be the case.”

Another Cox youngster who could be sighted on the Knavesmire during the Ebor meeting is Symbology, who holds an entry for the Lowther Stakes and was an impressive winner at the track on debut.

She has since placed in a competitive renewal of Ascot’s Princess Margaret Stakes and the Beechdown Stables hander is pleased with her progress since her first foray into Group company.

“She has come out of the race really well and I think she was beaten by a really nice Dark Angel filly of Charlie Johnston’s (Sacred Angel),” continued Cox.

“I think she is a filly that has really only just started to come to herself and I hope there is much more progress and improvement to be seen following that pleasing placed effort in a Group Three.

“It was a big step from her maiden at York and she is a filly we hold in high regard.

“She has a Lowther entry and we had to make that entry before she had even run. It would nice to think she could run there, but we have options with her and I’m delighted with her following her second run.”