Richard Hannon switches Paco Boy to France
Having considered taking the short route, Richard Hannon has elected to take the long-haul with Paco Boy this weekend as he attempts a fourth career Group One win.
In the horse’s formative years Hannon railed against suggestions, at times pointed, that Paco Boy did not truly stay a mile. His mile Group One victories in the Queen Anne and Lockinge Stakes came either side of an attempt at six furlongs in last year’s July Cup where he came fourth.
Hannon had been considering another tilt at the sprinters, in the Group One Betfred Sprint Cup at Haydock on Saturday, but instead Paco Boy and Richard Hughes will be back in France the following day for the Prix Moulin at Longchamp, hoping for better ground that when they finished third to Makfi in the Prix Jacques Le Marois at Deuaville three weeks ago.
Speaking on his website Hannon said: “We have weighed up the options and, while we don't have to declare until tomorrow, it now looks almost certain that are going to give the Sprint Cup a miss and wait for the Prix Moulin at Longchamp on Sunday.
“I have always favoured France, but I have spoken to part-owner Derek Lucy-Smith and he agrees that the Moulin is probably the right race for him. My worry about Haydock is that it could develop into a messy race as there will be a big field and they will most certainly split into two groups, so if you are drawn in the wrong place you could be in trouble.
"They will also go off very fast, and while Richard Hughes makes the point that Paco Boy was quick enough to finish best of all in the July Cup at Newmarket last year, Equiano and Starspangledbanner are likely to go five furlong pace at Haydock and we won't be able to ride a race on our fellow.”
The ground definitely favoured Makfi at Deauville but the fact that Goldikova, who has had the Indian sign over Paco Boy in previous meetings, was another positive factor in Hannon’s decision. "In contrast, there will be a single figure field for the Moulin - there is no Goldikova, and, while Makfi could run, the ground will be vastly different to the very soft conditions that he revelled in when beating us in the Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville, so we must have a chance of turning that form around,” he said.
"Paco Boy finished a close third to Goldikova in the Moulin two years ago, and there is no doubt that he is a much better horse now, so we have to go there feeling upbeat."
Hannon will also leave in Canford Cliffs until the final forfeit stage of the Moulin on Friday as a precaution but the Group One Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, at Ascot on September 25th, remains the primary target for the trainer’s triple Group One winner.
“Canford Cliffs did just a steady piece of work this morning, but Hughesie got off and told me that he has never moved better. He looks bigger and stronger than he did before Royal Ascot and is improving all the time, so we just need to ensure that he is in this sort of form in three weeks’ time.”
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