Clive Cox hopes 'thriving' filly can follow Harry Angel's improvement arc

Saturday: 3.05 Ayr
Virgin Bet Firth Of Clyde Fillies' Stakes (Group 3) | 6f | 2yo | ITV4/RTV

Clive Cox enjoyed Group 1 success with Harry Angel and is hoping Bonny Angel can follow the improvement arc of her father, who began to thrive late in his two-year-old campaign.

Harry Angel ended his juvenile season with a dominant win in the Mill Reef at Newbury and on the same weekend six years later, Bonny Angel will aim to step out of handicaps after a pair of victories in that sphere.

Most recently, she was impressive when bounding clear in a valuable Doncaster nursery and Cox believes Group company is the natural progression for his promising filly.

"She has come out very well from Doncaster, I think a combination of the ground and stepping up in trip helped," said Cox. "She did that so smoothly and she's up 17lb in the handicap, so we're very happy to give this a shot.

"I think she is very well in the way she appears at home and she certainly didn't have too hard a race at Doncaster – we're pleased she's taking her chance at Group level."

Cox is hoping Bonny Angel can follow the same trajectory which saw her sire burst on to the scene before a remarkable three-year-old campaign.

He said: "Her father [Harry Angel] came to himself in the autumn as a two-year-old and she seems to have thrived in the latter part of the summer."

Cox has enjoyed a strong spell of form in recent weeks and broke the half-century mark for the campaign at Newcastle on Thursday evening.

"We're really happy, I think we've all appreciated a change in the weather and it's a great feeling when the yard is in good form," Cox added.

What they say

George Boughey, trainer of Believing
She returned to the form we hoped she would in the Sirenia at Kempton. We rode her with a bit of restraint and she hit the line well. I think a repeat of that should see her run well, she's in good shape and we're very happy.

Eve Johnson Houghton, trainer of Lunarscape
She won very nicely at Goodwood last time out and she's a nice filly. It's worth trying to get some black type with her. She's very easy and is improving, so we think she should be there or thereabouts.

David O'Meara, trainer of Maria Branwell
She's been grand and she'll be suited by the track up there – we're hopeful of a good run from her.

Adam Ryan, assistant to Kevin Ryan, trainer of Queen Me
She ran an absolute blinder in the Lowther, showing improvement from her first run to her second. Hopefully it will be the same from her second to third. She goes there with a huge chance.

Saturday previews:

1.40 Newbury: 'We expect some improvement' - can anyone challenge Godolphin trio in Group 3?

2.15 Newbury: 'This is much easier - she'll go close' - who is confident for wide-open sprint?

2.30 Ayr: Early pace could prove key to breaking Tim Easterby's Silver Cup stranglehold

2.50 Newbury: 'He could be a dark horse' - analysis and key quotes for the Mill Reef

3.40 Ayr: 'I'm not sure he's streetwise enough' - Haggas on Ayr Gold Cup favourite

3.55 Gowran Park: Analysis and key quotes as Magic Chegaga bids to continue brilliant season

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