Canford Cliffs Looks Rock Solid in Sussex Stakes
The Sussex Stakes, one of the most anticipated races of the year takes place at Glorious Goodwood on Wednesday. Due off at 3.25pm, this looks an ideal opportunity for Canford Cliffs to register a hat trick of Group 1 victories. The Richard Hannon trained three-year-old showed plenty of ability as a juvenile, winning the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot and only just losing out in a three way photo in the Prix Morny at Longchamp.
His four outings this season have shown that he has developed into a high-class performer. Having finished third in the 2000 guineas at Newmarket, he turned in a sensational display in the Irish equivalent at the Curragh back in May. Considering he only took up the lead well inside the final furlong, his winning margin of three lengths shows his ability to accelerate.
Some argue that his final outing was even better in the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot. Having been out the back in the early stages of the race, he found himself with little room for manoeuvre when the pace quickened at the two-furlong marker. However, he again showed a blistering turn of foot to overhaul his stablemate d**k Turpin in the final 75 yards.
If he turns up here in the same form, he is going to be extremely difficult to beat and recent trends of this event are on his side, with three-year-olds capturing the prize in the past two seasons.
His market rival will be the Aidan O’Brien trained Rip Van Winkle who will be bidding to follow up on his success in this race last year. He has had just the one outing so far this term, finishing sixth behind Goldikova in the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot. He ran well for a long way in that race and led at the furlong pole. However, he dropped away rather tamely though that may have been through lack of fitness.
With that first appearance of the year behind him, he is likely to strip much fitter here and will no doubt make a bold bid to retain his trophy. The stable are in good form too having had nine winners in the past fortnight. One should remember that this horse was a hot favourite for the Breeders Cup Classic at Santa Anita, towards the end of last year and is a high-class performer at his best.
Whilst Rip Van Winkle is unlikely to go down without a fight, Chris Wall will think he has a chance with Premio Loco who has improved out of all recognition from the very good handicapper he was two season’s ago. He now looks a Group class performer in his own right and his last two starts have been particularly good. In landing the Group 3 Criterion Stakes at Newmarket at the end of June, he defeated a very useful Red Jazz by three parts of a length.
His final outing was even better in the Group 2 Summer Mile Stakes at Ascot. He showed real battling qualities here as he looked desperately short of room with a furlong to go. However, a gap on the rail opened up at just the right time allowing him to swoop late and fast, taking the lead in the final 75 yards and going on to score by a length from the French challenger Vertigineux.
He will have to improve again to win here though as this is certainly his toughest assignment to date. The stable do have a good record at this track though, recording six victories from 27 runners in the past five seasons and whilst possibly not good enough to win here, he is more than capable of collecting some valuable place money.
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