A long-established elite thoroughbred horse trainer in the United Kingdom, Clive Cox is a very shrewd trainer, astute buyer of equine talent, and exceptional at placing his horses to win. He gained his licence in 1999 and really hasn’t put a foot wrong. You can put this down to one major attribute – true professionalism. I’ve always been struck by his attitude when giving interviews on TV, with his very calm demeanour and knowledgeable approach, which excels.
His years of experience have seen achievements including Group 1 status and a particular quality for training sprinters and very talented two-year-old horses.
Cox started his career in racing as a National Hunt jockey. He rode almost 100 winners. However, his heart was always in training horses. In fact, his first role as assistant trainer was with the late Mikie Heaton-Ellis. Upon the passing of his mentor in 1999, Cox decided it was time to put his talent to business and attained his trainer’s licence, leaving Barbury Castle in the heart of Wiltshire. By the year 2000, he had relocated to Lambourn at Beechdown Stables, where he resides to this day.
The stable is situated in a private and peaceful location on the chalk downlands. There are various turf gallops and a seven-furlong all-weather surface with a steady incline, ideal for building stamina. They have the capacity to stable 96 horses, with a mix of traditional and American-style barns, along with indoor schooling, starting stalls, a horse walker, paddock, and turnout pens. In addition, they have four horse boxes for transportation.
Cox’s achievements have been many, including exceptional sprinters, Group 1 winners, and a number of horses tasting glory at Royal Ascot.
Here are a few of the exceptional talents: Gilt Edge Girl, Reckless Abandon, Profitable, My Dreamboat, Lethal Force, Nando Parrado, and Harry Angel, to name just a few.
From a smaller yard, he has proven a powerhouse who can rival the largest training establishments. It is for this reason he has trained numerous Group winners and has the ambition for more.
After following horse racing for over 40 years, Clive Cox is one of my favourites, and he has a quiet charm which makes him stand out from the crowd.
A fantastic trainer.
