Hanagan can get off to a flyer at Southwell
If Paul Hanagan goes on to win the jockey’s championship, he may well look back at his ride aboard Iron Condor in the final race at Kempton last night as the decisive moment. Just as Richard Hughes had clawed his way back to just one behind, the momentum gained from the quick-fire double earlier on the card had quickly been stolen back by Hanagan with yesterday's late victory.
He now goes into today’s racing brimming with confidence and Hughes has yet again got to find the strength to pull two winners back on the current leader. Richard Fahey’s stable jockey has six booked rides at Southwell in the afternoon and a further five at Wolverhampton this evening, compared to his rival’s three rides at Wolverhampton. Hanagan will feel today could be the day to rubber stamp his authority on the title and he should get a winner at Southwell in the shape of Fitz Flyer in the attheraces.com/breederscup Conditions Stakes.
This will be the first time Hanagan has ridden the consistent gelding but he will be confident that the surface at the track will be right up Fitz Flyer’s street. On his last appearance at Southwell in January the selection lost a lot of ground at the start but nearly got to the leaders, finishing a fast-finishing third. He has failed to win in his last six starts but a switch back to the fibre-sand should bring out a return to the winners’ enclosure today.
Encore Une Anne looks like banker material in the E B F Bet Breeders' Cup - Betdaq Maiden Stakes. The filly impressed on her debut in what looks like a good maiden behind Devastation, and her style of running that day - plugging on from the back of the field - suggests she will take to the testing surface at Southwell today.
Earlier in the season Dean Heslop started to build up an encouraging partnership with Where’s Reiley at Southwell and the two reunite in the Bet Asian Handicaps - Betdaq Handicap. Heslop guided the selection to three straight victories in January and if the two can strike up a similar chord then he could go close at a pretty decent price.
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