A BIT OF SPIRIT, is a first-crop Son of PALACE PIER (GB) (by Kingman), lived up to his name on Saturday, 30 August, when battling gamely to land the prestigious Gr3 Solario Stakes over 7 furlongs (1400m) at Sandown.
A BIT OF SPIRIT (Yellow and Navy) (2nd from left)
A BIT OF SPIRIT continued his good recent runs when coming out on top in a tremendous four-way finish.
After disputing the running, he found well under pressure in the straight to get the better of Humidity and Oceans Four.
A BIT OF SPIRIT has been a model of consistency this season, scoring by a head on his debut at Newbury in June before following up at Salisbury and then finishing second twice in Listed contests.
RACE DESCRIPTION
The Group 3 Solario Stakes saw the Clive Cox trained colt A BIT OF SPIRIT start favourite, having previously chased home another Palace Pier colt named MORRIS DANCER when finishing runner-up in a Listed race earlier this month.
A BIT OF SPIRIT justified the support of punters when scoring a nose win, taking his overall record to three wins and two seconds from five starts.
The Gr3 BetMGM Solario Stakes (7f) at Sandown has long been a test of quality, a kingmaking race designed to help establish the juvenile pecking order. The Solario Stakes has been won by numerous Group 1 winners, including Godolphin's 2018 Derby winner Masar and this year's Irish 2,000 Guineas and St James's Palace winner Field Of Gold.
This year’s renewal called as much for courage as ability, when A BIT OF SPIRIT showed he was well named when narrowly coming out on top in a thrilling blanket finish.
Four horses were still in contention over the final strides, but the bob went the way of the Clive Cox-trained horse, who made the most of his experience and toughed it out on soft ground to set up a host of autumn targets after holding on bravely to deny Oceans Four by a nose.
A BIT OF SPIRIT was the most experienced runner in the field having had the four previous starts, so jockey Rossa Ryan set out to put that experience to good use by heading straight to the front.
He looked something of a sitting duck two furlongs (400m) out, as Royal Ascot winner Humidity, Oceans Four and Pacific Avenue, who was off the bridle a long way from home, made it a four-way go, each of them briefly looking the likely winner at some stage.
Pacific Avenue was first to fold under pressure and finished a clear fourth, albeit beaten under than half a length, while Oceans Four was leaning into Humidity but was marginally in front of him.
A BIT OF SPIRIT was headed with 100m to go but battled back and crucially had his head down where it mattered.
A photo was called, and it was the Cox trained A BIT OF SPIRIT who had his name called the winner.
Oceans Four crossed the line in second and Humidity in third, but those minor placings were reversed by the stewards with Pacific Avenue finishing fourth.
The son of PALACE PIER was cut to 25-1 (from 50-1) for the Group 1 Darley Dewhurst Stakes on October 11 but holds entries in next month's Group 2 Betfred Champagne Stakes, also over seven furlongs, and the Royal Lodge, which would require stepping back out to a mile.
PALACE PIER has made a tremendous start at stud and now has sired three (3) Stakes Winners and a stakes placegetter from 7 winners of 12 races.
His daughter ROYAL FIXATION landed the Gr2 Lowther Stakes at York while MORRIS DANCER led home a one-two for his sire in the Listed Stonehenge Stakes at Salisbury when ahead of A BIT OF SPIRIT. He is also the sire of stakes placed Sirius A.
Australian breeders only had access to Darley’s champion miler PALACE PIER (GB) for one season with the resulting foals set to run as 2YO’s here this season and the son of Kingman is making a huge mark with his first crop in Europe.
TRAINER
Clive Cox said “A BIT OF SPIRIT is so tough. He was beaten for a minute but got back up and we had no idea if he'd cope with the soft conditions today. I'm just so proud of him.”
A BIT OF SPIRIT was purchased for 75,000 guineas from the Tattersalls Somerville Yearling Sale.
Cox said: “He’s got remarkable courage and really digs deep.
“We had no idea if he would cope with condition this easy and certainly, we haven’t seen any ground like this all summer, but he’s all heart and so tough and I’m very pleased.
“Now we know he handles this ground we can plot accordingly, and all the big two-year-old races are open to him.”
“He’s done nothing but improve with confidence and with that confidence he has displayed more ability, but the fighting quality has been there from the get-go.
“Even on his first start he showed those qualities and even though he was quite green at that stage, he’s got more battle-hardened now and is displaying more and more courage.
“Rossa (jockey) was great there and he had all confidence he would handle the ground and it was proved rightly that was the case. I’m thrilled he’s taken this step today.”
He added: “I’m pleased to enjoy today, and I think he’s a tough, hardy two-year-old, so we can keep pushing with that in mind.
“Now we know he handles the ground we can plot accordingly, and he’s got all the options wide open.
A BIT OF SPIRIT holds a plethora of entries for top two-year-old contests in the latter stages of the season and Cox is now keen to continue aiming high.
“He’s well entered and he’s in the Royal Lodge, but I’m not sure if we would prefer to stay at seven furlongs and he’s in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere in France and all those races. I’m just thrilled we can discuss all the options and hopefully make the right decisions.
“From next year’s point of view, we probably stepped up to a mile early enough at Salisbury but the fact he can go on soft ground gives me confidence we can keep going this year and hopefully he may develop further next year.
“I’m delighted for the owners who have been big supporters and it’s nice for them to have a horse like this for the big stage. It’s a joy to train nice horses for nice people and a privilege to make a living out of a passion really.”
Cox said, "He was quite naughty on his first start,"
"He was difficult to saddle, and we weren't sure what to expect, but when he stepped foot on the track, he knew what it was all about. He's improved and become more confident, which has displayed more ability, but the fighting quality was there from the beginning. He's all heart and is much more battle-hardened now."
"This was a learning curve but the fact he's handled soft ground means we can keep going this year and all the options are open to him. I'm thrilled he's taken this step forward today."
Jockey ROSSA RYAN:
"He's unbelievable and wears his heart on his sleeve," said jockey Rossa Ryan.
"I went half a length down with 100 yards to go but he kept finding. He's not the biggest but by God he's got a heart of gold and tries very hard. Where he may lack a small bit of ability he makes up for it with heart. Clive's horses are flying and it's great to win for the owners."
BREEDING
A consistent colt, he has now won three of his five starts, with his only two defeats coming when second in Listed races at Ascot and Salisbury (when behind fellow Palace Pier colt Morris Dancer).
A BIT OF SPIRIT is the first foal of the unraced Dubawi mare Tanaagham, who hails from the family of G1 winners Elnadim and Mehthaaf.
PALACE PIER
The World Champion miler - PALACE PIER is a son of Champion Sire Kingman.
He has made an excellent start to his stud career, with four Black Type horses already to his name.
PALACE PIER - Sire
PALACE PIER covered 97 mares in his one-off shuttle season at a fee of $55,000 and has produced 60 two-year-olds in Australia.
To date 25 of these 2yo’s have been named, being 11 Colts and 14 Fillies.
Dynamic Syndications purchased at the Magic Millions from the Arrowfield Stud draft, a Colossal COLT by PALACE PIER from the Stakes Winning Group 1 placed daughter of Savabeel YOU’RE SO GOOD.
As a yearling at the Magic Millions in the Arrowfield Stud draft
In pre-training 27 June
Arrowfield Stud liked the Colt and have purchased into him.
Arrowfield Stud's Paul & John Messara
Our COLT has subsequently broken-in like a Ferrari supporting Arrowfield’s judgement and he impressed Australia’s Number 1 horseman Shane Rose to such an extent that Shane also purchased into the colt.
Shane Rose rated this Colt DUX of the Class of 2025
PALACE PIER was a hugely gifted WORLD CHAMPION MILER whose race record was 11 Starts: 9 Wins, one Second, one Third.
6 of his 9 wins were in Group races.
He Won 5 Gr1 races and 1 Gr2 win and was Second and Third in Gr1 races.
Palace Pier was a true Champion racehorse
PALACE PIER is going gangbusters in the North.
He is currently in Second position (to Starman) on the First Crop Sires Premiership in in GB/IRE by Stakes Winners & Stakes Horses, and 3rd by Earnings.
In Europe he is the sire of:
Runners: 34 / Winners: 7 / Wins: 12 / Placed: 6 / BTW: 3 / BTH: 4 / AWD: 1300m / Earn: $916,278
ROYAL FIXATION (23f, Kodiac, Speightstown). 2 wins at 1207m, A$347,690, 1st York Lowther S., Gr.2 2nd Newmarket Duchess of Cambridge S., Gr.2
MORRIS DANCER (23c, Dubawi, Sadler's Wells). 2 wins from 1442m to 1609m, A$135,586, 1st Salisbury Stonehenge S., L, 2nd Goodwood Vintage S., Gr.2
A BIT OF SPIRIT (23c, Dubawi, Teofilo). 3 wins from 1308m to 1402m, A$70,127, 1st Newbury Local IQ EBF Novice S., 2nd Ascot Pat Eddery S., L, Salisbury Stonehenge S., L
Sirius A (23c, Sea the Stars, Sunday Silence). Winner at 1408m, A$36,634, 1st Solario S., G3, 2nd Deauville Prix Roland de Chambure, L, 4th Ascot Pat Eddery S., L
Golden Palace (23f, Rio de la Plata, Cape Cross). 2 wins from 1006m to 1207m, A$35,635, 1st York ITV Jackpot Today 2YO Novice S.
Pacifica Pier (23c, Elusive Quality, Seeking the Gold). Winner at 1408m, A$42,715, 1st Sandown Tattersalls 2YO S.
Khuskhas (23f, Dansili, Lear Fan). Winner at 1210m
Conjecture (23f, Dubawi, Pivotal). Placed, A$21,480
Rock of Rosha (23f, Kodiac, Giant's Causeway). Placed, A$19,375, 2nd Chantilly Prix de la Troublerie
Hamaleel (23f, Dark Angel, Teofilo). Placed, 3rd Doncaster British Stallion Studs 2YO Maiden S.
Mond Spiegel (23c, Acclamation, Linamix). Placed, A$14,692
Crystal Pier (23f, Dalakhani, Sadler's Wells). Placed, A$10,519, 3rd Newbury British Stallion Studs EBF Fillies' 2YO S.
Sagarmatha (23f, Dansili, Peintre Celebre). Placed
Dynamic Syndications are thrilled with the progress our Colt has made to date, and we are extremely bullish about his future, just like Arrowfield Stud and Shane Rose who have joined our Team of VIP Clients to race the colt with Ciaron Maher.
Less than a handful of shares now available to race the colt in co-ownership.
Contact Adam Watt at Dynamic on 02 9540 1511 and have a chat. Full details are on our website.