Cox can land treble with top Cat

TRAINER Clive Cox has made a happy habit of winning the Juddmonte Middle Park Stakes and CATURRA (Newmarket, 3.0) could complete a notable treble this afternoon.

Supremacy (2020) and Reckless Abandon (2012) have landed the Group One sprinting feature for the Lambourn handler and the industrious Caturra appears capable of springing a mini surprise today.

With seven races already on the c.v. the Mehmas colt certainly will not be lacking in experience and his encouraging debut effort on the Rowley Mile should also stand him in good stead.

Today’s venue can often find out participants who struggle with the undulations of The Dip but Caturra boasts prior knowledge of the intricacies having finished fourth to Forca Brasil in April.

Moreover, while early-season juvenile form arguably carries little weight come the autumn, it is worth noting that subsequent Group One winner Ebro River was behind the selection that day.

Described by Cox (right) as having ‘a wonderful mind and a lot of speed’, Caturra has responded well to a subtle change of tactics as the season has progressed, best illustrated by his come-from-behind win at Doncaster last time.

Harnessing his speed and energy should hopefully give him a major chance of being involved in the finish again today and it is understandable that Cox’s speedster has taken time to grow into his sizeable frame.

The lightning fast conditions seen on the Rowley Mile this week should also suit and, in Adam Kirby, he has a rider who knows him well.

Perfect Power will be a tough adversary, especially with a fluent Prix Morny victory fresh in the memory. And Irish raider Dr Zempf will also have his fans, although HMS Endeavour is arguably more of interest at a huge price given his connections, with the form of his Navan maiden win working out well. BELL ROCK (Newmarket, nap, 3.35) was sent off a well-backed 10-1 chance to win the bet365 Cambridgeshire two years ago and was far from disgraced when finishing third to Majestic Dawn. The selection did not gain the clearest of passages that day in suffering his only defeat on the Rowley Mile in four outings and, although he may now be handicapped to the hilt, he is a decent each-way play on his favourite track.