Nunthorpe next up for Profitable All roads lead to York and the Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes for Profitable following his creditable effort in the Darley July Cup at Newmarket on Saturday. The sixth furlong proved the undoing of Clive Cox's star sprinter, who will return to the minimum trip over which he has a 100 per cent record this season with victories in the Palace House, Temple and King's Stand Stakes. "He's come back out of the race very well indeed. It was a good performance. We were very pleased with him but clearly he is better over five than six," said Cox. "He still ran a very creditable race in what was an exceedingly hot race. "He'll be heading straight for the Nunthorpe, but he's come out of the race well, I'm pleased to say." Cox felt the drying ground was the reason Kodi Bear could not quite run up to his best in the Summer Mile at Ascot on Saturday. The four-year-old, who has yet to hit form this term, finished sixth to Mutakayyef without being able to strike a blow. Kodi Bear currently holds three entries at Goodwood, the Lennox Stakes and Sussex Stakes at the Glorious meeting later this month and also the Celebration Mile in August, which he won in 2015. However, Cox is in hurry to make any plans at the moment. "Probably conditions dried quite a lot at Ascot on Saturday, but he's come out of the race fine," said the Lambourn trainer. "We'll take it a step at a time. We'll see how he is, but I'm pleased he's taken the race well." Cox revealed Zonderland banged his head coming out of the stalls before going on to finish eighth of nine behind the impressive Zelzal in the Prix Jean Prat at Chantilly on Sunday. "He jumped forward and anticipated the start and banged his head on the stalls," said Cox. "He missed the break because of that and then rushed up on the inside from the one stall. "He appears to be fine this morning, but we'll be pleased to get him home and I think he's a lot better than that performance we saw on Sunday."
