Canford Cliffs reaches his peak in Irish 2000 Guineas
If revenge is a dish best served cold, then Richard Hannon and Richard Hughes will be feasting from a cold platter for some time to come.
A week after Paco Boy was dishing out large portions of humble pie, when he sauntered to victory in the Lockinge Stakes at Newbury, Canford Cliffs made it double helpings when he ran out the emphatic winner of the Abu Dhabi Irish 2000 Guineas at the Curragh. This victory followed up Hannon’s wins with Don't Forget Me (1987) and Tirol (1990).
There had been fewer more impressive winners last year than this colt when he took the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot by six lengths, but three subsequent defeats had clouded that memory with doubts, most especially about whether the stamina of Canford Cliffs matched his speed; and his third place in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket three weeks ago had not answered all the questions.
There was a brief drama before this race when Canford Cliffs had to have a shoe replated. Richard Hannon Jnr, the assistant trainer, was hoping that was a sign because his father’s 2000 Guineas winner of 1987, Don’t Forget Me, had survived even greater dramas before his victory at Newmarket. But, in the final analysis, such omens were unnecessary because Canford Cliffs was simply in a different class.
When the field broke from the stalls one of the Aidan O’Brien pacemakers, Encompassing, made sure of an even tempo while Hughes made sure that he had his horse settled in the mid-division. Past halfway and Hughes was still holding back alongside Steinbeck, ridden by Johnny Murtagh. But while Hughes was biding his time, Murtagh was realising that this was not going to be his day.
Two furlongs out Hughes switched into space for a run. He took the ground that Murtagh might have wanted for himself but, while Steinbeck could not find the acceleration on his first start of the season, Canford Cliffs simply cruised upsides the leaders inside the final furlong. Three strides later the only question was how far would he win by? Three lengths was the official margin but with any amount in hand.
Free Judgement tried to challenge but was only ever chasing second place, which he won from Viscount Nelson and Hannon Jnr reckoned that even a one-eyed man could see how good his horse really is. “I think he showed he’s the horse we always thought he was. We wanted to get him settled. We know he gets a mile, he settled better than he did at Newmarket today and he’s won pretty much as he liked.”
Hughes certainly liked the way that he won and passed the post patting his horse’s neck. “Silenced all the critics,” was his opening line before pointing out, "If Richard Hannon doesn’t know if he gets a mile – training for 40 years – if he says they stay, they stay. Everything went nice; he spat the bridle out straight away, travelled really good. The only thing I did differently was, before, I got him revved up, ready to go. In Newmarket I was so relaxed, I thought I’d pick them up quick – and I didn’t – and the race was nearly over when I got him going.”
Canford Cliffs will be going back to Royal Ascot next month, for the St James’s Palace Stakes, and a rematch with Makfi, the winner at Newmarket. “The French horse is very good but I think I have the key to him now,” Hughes said. “The last day I got him asleep and I couldn’t wake him up but today he was electric.”
The O’Brien yard has been having what amounts to intermittent power cuts in terms of stable form but, overall, the trainer was pleased enough with the performance of his runners and Viscount Nelson looks likely to run in next month’s Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly and he was far from downcast after Steinbeck finished fourth on his first run since the Dewhurst Stakes last October.
“Delighted with his run,” O’Brien said. “Travelled a little bit strong, a little bit fresh for Johnny, and he took a while to relax. But, when he did relax, he came home very well and we’re delighted with him for his first run back. It’s a big call for a horse in a Classic but we look forward to him next time.”
Making the big calls comes as part of the job at Ballydoyle and Samuel Morse looks like a juvenile colt who will be making the plane for Royal Ascot after he made it two wins from two starts when he won the Listed Marble Hill Stakes. “He’s a big, powerful horse and we’re delighted with him,” O’Brien said. “We’ll have a look at the Coventry with him now.”
Doubtless Hannon, whose two-year-olds are in outstanding form, will have something to serve it up to them there as well.
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