Strong Suit success for Hughes and Hannon

VICTORIOUS on the courageous Canford Cliffs who confirmed his reputation as one of Europe’s best middle-distance horses, Richard Hughes and Richard Hannon now have another top-class miler after Strong Suit won the Jersey Stakes.

Group One races are now distinctly possible after the horse – beaten by the mighty Frankel in Newbury’s Greenham Stakes two months ago – returned to form a year after coming to prominence by winning the Coventry Stakes at the Royal meeting.

The victory capped another memorable day for Hughes and Hannon who went on to land the Queen Mary Stakes on 12-1 chance Best Terms.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Hannon attributed Strong Suit’s 11-1 victory to a breathing operation. “We took him to the Greenham and Hughesie said he didn’t feel right so we put a camera on him and found the problem,” he explained. “We took him to Kempton to work with Canford Cliffs the other day and he worked brilliant.”

Hughes added: “I knew how good he was when he won the Coventry and I think he definitely did it (got the breathing problem) in Ireland last year. He stopped like somebody shot him but we scoped him and he was perfect.

“We were all scratching our heads and he never seemed the same. His work in the spring was okay but after the Greenham we got the camera on him and that revealed exactly how bad he was suffering. Whoever has operated on him has done a great job.”

On another ferociously competitive card, Lolly For Dolly scooted up the near side rail to claim the Windsor Forest Stakes at Royal Ascot for Tommy Stack, the trainer still renowned for winning the 1977 Grand National aboard the legendary Red Rum.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

And, 30 years after Shergar’s Epsom Derby triumph, there was success for another jockey-turned-trained when Walter Swinburn’s Julienas landed the Royal Hunt Cup.

It was a second winner at the meeting for Eddie Ahern who had to survive a stewards’ inquiry after interfering with the well-supported favourite Dance And Dance, the mount of Ryan Moore.

It completed a bad day for Moore who had lost a race in the stewards’ room on Tuesday – he was looking for quick consolation after So You Think’s shock reverse in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes.

Ahern was banned for two days for allowing his mount to drift, but he appeared to have no regrets. “The stewards decided the best horse won,” he said.

And Swinburn was unperturbed by the tight finish.

“When you win as a trainer it means so much more.

“It’s months of hard work and it means so much to everyone,” he said.

Related topics: