Royal Ascot 2011- Strong Suit wins Jersey Stakes, Richard Hannan, and Jockey Hughes delighted
Breathing operation paid dividends for Richard Hannon and his son in law Richard Hughes, who was Strong Suit’s mount at the Group Three Jersey Stakes and guided the three year old chestnut colt to victory.
The operation came about after winning in the Coventry Stakes last year and after that a disappointing finish at Greenham when he finished last.
Strong Suit is back to winning ways and gave trainer and jockey the second win of the Royal Ascot after Canford Cliffs won the Queen Anne Stakes. The performance at Greenham resulted in Strong Suit’s breathing operation and the results are showing now.
The son from Rahy and Helwa bagged his third win out of six starts. The talent he showed 12 months back was nearly forgotten because of his absence and the doubt lingering over his post operation career. But he is back with the bang by securing the Jersey Stakes with a blazing run from behind.
The race started and William Buick without wasting any time jumped out in the lead with Utley and became the horse to beat because as he gained a substantial lead very early. Through a major course of the race Utley continued to lead and showed promise even after the three he was urged to continue but he couldn’t since he gave it all so early in the race that his pursuers at the end of the race started gaining on him.
A stampede of horses faded away Utley as if he was never in the lead, Codemaster the favorite to win the race tried to match strides but it wasn’t his day because he couldn’t gain enough momentum to launch an assault at the leader and never made it to the lead.
Hughes, on the other hand, kept things tight and looked very much in contention to outclass Utley, especially seeing him give his all so, early in the race. And with two furlongs remaining it was time for Hughes to buckle up and up the tempo.
Since the finishing part of the track was uphill, it was wise from Hughes’s side to keep Strong Suit nice and relaxed in the beginning, a tactic used by all the jockeys in the race except William Buick.
By now Strong Suit has assumed a nice position and he gained on the American, Utley, with ease and once Strong Suit got the lead, rest of the horses followed and breezed past Utley. Codemaster came in with the late challenge but Strong Suit never gave him anything to work on to get the lead. Second position belonged to the favorite Codemaster and Western Aristocrat came in third.
Strong Suit’s huge win delighted owner, Richard Hannon, and jockey, Richard Hughes, and provided enough confidence to try out Strong Suit in much more competitive races.
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