Richard Hannon

Rosallion to Sussex; Haatem to Jacques le Marois

Next week's G1 Qatar Sussex Stakes looks set to be the highlight of Glorious Goodwood, with a clash of the Guineas winners on the cards as Rosallion (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}) clashes once more with Notable Speech (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}). Rosallion, who was second to Notable Speech in the 2,000 Guineas and then won both the Irish 2,000 Guineas and G1 St James's Palace Stakes, is currently the highest-rated miler in the world and is said by trainer Richard Hannon to be "peaking". At Goodwood, he is also likely to...

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Breeders' Cup Star Unquestionable Joins Hannon Yard

Grade I winner Unquestionable (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) has moved to the yard of Richard Hannon, according to Al Shaqab Racing's Ali Begley. The news was reported on the Nick Luck Daily podcast on Thursday morning. The 2023 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf victor was formerly with Aidan O'Brien at Ballydoyle. He raced for Al Shaqab, Coolmore and Westerberg until the start of the month, and now is soley raced by Al Shaqab. "After Ascot, Sheikh Joaan has bought 100% of the horse and he has moved over to Richard...

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Phoenix Of Spain's Haatem by a Whisker in the Jersey

Wathnan Racing's dual Classic-placed acquisition Haatem (Ire) (Phoenix Of Spain {Ire}--Hard Walnut {Ire}, by Cape Cross {Ire}) went postward for Saturday's G3 Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot lumbered with a three-pound Group 3 penalty and defied that impost in game fashion to register a narrow victory in the seven-furlong test. Haatem was swiftly into stride and settled into a comfortable rhythm slipstreaming fellow Wathnan contender Native American (Ire) (Sioux Nation) in a prominent fourth from the outset. Tanking forward on the bridle to lead approaching the quarter-mile pole, the 7-2...

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Rosallion Picks up Ascot Baton From Blue Point

ASCOT, UK--A wishlist for the first day of Royal Ascot would certainly have included the hope that a Classic-winning colt would step forward and announce himself as a proper horse, a major win for an international traveller, and the sight of the inimitable Sir Mark Prescott in the winner's enclosure. Tick. Tick. Tick. We'll throw in to the mix a tearful Mark Loughnane proclaiming the 80/1 Coventry S. victory for his jockey son Billy as "the best ever moment of my life", and Sam Sangster, equally tearful as his father's...

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Blue Point's Rosallion Best In The St James's Palace

There were three Guineas heroes lined up for Tuesday's G1 St James's Palace S. and ultimately it was the winner of the Irish Classic in Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum's Rosallion (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}--Rosaline {Ire}, by New Approach {Ire}) who came away from Royal Ascot with the bragging rights. If his Curragh victory was a case of consolation following his second to Notable Speech (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) at Newmarket, this was all about affirmation as the well-supported 5-2 second favourite readily reversed the 2,000 Guineas form and put the...

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St James's Palace Set To Kick Off Royal Ascot With A Bang; Ballydoyle Plans Taking Shape

The G1 St James's Palace S. is shaping up to be one of the hottest races at Royal Ascot this year and both Rosallion (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}) and Henry Longfellow (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) received positive reports from their respective trainers on Tuesday as they prepare to try and topple Notable Speech (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the day one highlight. Trained by Charlie Appleby, Notable Speech heads the ante-post betting for the St James's Palace following his striking success in the G1 2,000 Guineas, but Richard Hannon has not given...

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Voyage Hoping For Redemption With King Edward VII Target

Julie Wood's Voyage (GB) (Golden Horn {GB}), who parted ways with Pat Dobbs at the start of the G1 Betfred Derby, will return in the G2 King Edward VII S. at Royal Ascot, according to trainer Richard Hannon. A winner at Newbury in April, the bay was making just his second start in the Blue Riband. "Unfortunately, things didn't go to plan for Voyage in the Derby after he stumbled coming out of the stalls and unseated Dobbsy, who had no chance whatsoever," Hannon said on his Unibet blog. "I...

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Haatem Among a Swathe of Purchases for Wathnan Racing

It was only a year ago that Wathnan Racing first came to prominence during Royal Ascot following their high-profile purchases of subsequent Gold Cup and Queen's Vase winners Courage Mon Ami (GB) (Frankel {GB}) and Gregory (GB) (Golden Horn {GB}). It was revealed in TDN that the Emir of Qatar was behind the new name on the scene, and it is one of which we have heard plenty in the intervening 12 months. Since then, the operation's bloodstock agent Richard Brown has been busy both at public auctions and in...

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Seven Days: From Fast to Feast 

If you are a racing tragic, and I'd like to think that most TDN readers fall into this celebrated bracket, it is impossible to have a day off at the moment. Trials, Classics, they come thick and fast in these heady weeks of spring. We've waited winterlong, starved of any meaningful action, and now it's hard not to feel a little queasy at the veritable feast of racing which is set before us, course after course after course. There's barely even room for the Cartmel Sticky Toffee Pudding Maiden Hurdle. ...

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Irish 2,000 Guineas Glory For Blue Point's Rosallion

Confirming the serious nature of the G1 2,000 Guineas form, Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum's Newmarket runner-up Rosallion (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}--Rosaline {Ire}, by New Approach {Ire}) went one better to lead a Richard Hannon one-two in Saturday's G1 Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas at The Curragh. Held up in mid-division by Sean Levey with the pace steady, the 10-11 favourite began his delivery two out as the stable's Haatem (Ire) (Phoenix Of Spain {Ire}) took control and his wilting run proved perfectly-timed. Getting the yard's bragging rights only in the...

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A Dream Voyage for Julie Wood

EPSOM, UK -- The names Morston (GB) and Lammtarra were being bandied about as Voyage (GB) (Golden Horn {GB}) stepped onto the track at Epsom on Tuesday morning. In 1974 and 1995 respectively, that pair came to the Derby on the back of one run, but what they lacked in experience they made up for in brilliance.  Voyage's trainer Richard Hannon has had two previous runners in the Derby, the 2021 runner-up Mojo Star (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and Humphrey Bogart (Ire) (Tagula {Ire}), who finished fifth five years earlier. ...

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“Immensely Proud” Hannon Eyes Irish Guineas For Rosallion And Haatem

The Curragh could be next for Rosallion (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}) and Haatem (Ire) (Phoenix Of Spain {Ire}) after the Richard Hannon-trained colts finished second and third respectively behind Notable Speech (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the Qipco 2000 Guineas on Saturday.  The Hannon stable last recorded victory in the Irish 2,000 Guineas when Canford Cliffs (Ire) ran out a hugely impressive scorer back in 2010. "I'm immensely proud of both horses," Hannon reflected. "They ran good races and we'll have a lot of sport with them through the year. He...

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