Tuesday 17 April 2012

Richard Hannon: ''We have a different type of two-year-old this season...''


With classic trials at both Newmarket and Newbury, plus a cluster of interesting maidens, this is always the week when the Flat season proper gets under way, having coughed and spluttered at places like Folkestone, Musselburgh and Leicester since the curtain went up at Doncaster on March 31.

We will be heavily involved at both venues over the next four days - Richard Hannon jnr is already up at HQ for the Breeze-Up Sale - but it was good to be back with the boss on the gallops at Herridge on Tuesday morning, and, while like his horses, he is not yet fully tuned up, he was looking remarkably chipper after his recent heart operation.


Inevitably, the doom-and-gloom merchants were quick to suggest that all was not well with the Hannon team after our three runners had run poorly at Windsor on Monday, but in truth we probably did not expect to come home with a winner - sure Meringue Pie was disappointing, but our two-year-olds nearly always benefit from the run, and, like Lyric Ace, he will be sharper next time.


The boss said:"We have a few early ones, but on the whole we have a different type of two-year-old this season. Most of them have done nothing but canter, but there is plenty of quality there, and I like what I have seen in the morning.


"We are certainly not worried about the form of the team. Gusto went to France on Monday and rattled off his third Listed victory, and he could be one for the Jersey Stakes come Royal Ascot in June."