Richard Hannon moves on from bad Memory run
As Richard Hannon continues his pursuit of Sir Michael Stoute in this year’s trainers’ championship, he could be forgiven for wondering why what had become so reliable has begun to fail.
Hannon’s two-year-old division has always paid its but this year there had been a level of quality that pushed the quantity to unheard of levels with a strike-rate touching 28% at one point. Even now, at 24% it is still well ahead of a five-year average 16%. But it is the cream that has curdled slightly in recent weeks.
The defeat of Memory, beaten seven-and-a-quarter lengths into sixth in the Group One Moyglare Stud Stakes at the Curragh on Sunday, was a third high-profile juvenile to be beaten recently following on from Strong Suit in the Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh three weeks ago and Libranno in the Prix Morny at Deauville the previous weekend.
Hannon reported that Memory was "absolutely fine" on returning to his yard and is of a mind to accept that it was simply a race that did not pan out, which was much the way that Richard Hughes rode the filly in the last quarter-mile when he realised that she was not going to be competitive.
Hannon, speaking on his website, said: “There is not a bother on Memory. She is bucking and kicking and she never had a race, so we will freshen her up for the Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket. We feared the worst when we saw we had drawn the one stall. It was always going to be very tough from the outside, and she was 20 lengths adrift at the elbow.
"You just cannot make up that amount of ground in a Group One race, but Hughesie looked after her when he saw that he could not possibly win, so we live to fight another day. We still think that she is a very good filly, and we hope that she will bounce back at Newmarket."
Hannon will need to bounce back if he is to claim the trainers’ title that he won for the only time in 1992 and could turn to his old ally Paco Boy, who is one of 20 still left in at the latest declaration for the Group One Betfred Sprint Cup at Haydock Park on Saturday. Although Paco Boy has not won over six furlongs since his two-year-old season, connections appear to be keen enough to run.
One of Hannon’s sons, his assistant trainer Richard Jnr, is getting married and the wedding has already been put back to a 5pm start to allow Hughes the chance to fulfil obligations as both stable jockey and brother-in-law and usher. It can only be hoped that Hughes has better luck with his travels plans that last Saturday. After riding at Newmarket’s afternoon meeting he missed his first intended ride at Windsor’s evening card with the younger Hannon left seeking an alternative rider.
Paco Boy, who was one of Hannon’s five Group One winners this season when he won the Lockinge Stakes at Newbury in May, would go into the race rated 3lb superior to Starspangledbanner, the winner of both the Golden Jubilee Stakes and the July Cup.
Aidan O’Brien’s colt was surprisingly beaten by rank outsider Sole Power in the Nunthorpe Stakes at York two weeks ago and the trainer has yet to commit him to the Sprint Cup however he is not lacking in options for the highlight of the card at Leopardstown on the same day.
Rip Van Winkle and Fame And Glory are among five O'Brien potential runners for the Group One Tattersalls Millions Irish Champion Stakes, which has a current entry of 10. The two colts, winners of the Juddmonte International and Coronation Cup respectively, in addition to Cape Blanco – the Irish Derby winner - Beethoven and Black Quartz give O'Brien a powerful grip on a race that he won five times since 2000.
Bethrah has not been seen out since she won the Irish 1000 Guineas in May but is one of 13 still left in the other Group One race on the card, the Coolmore Fusaichi Pegasus Matron Stakes.
Tags: