Richard Hannon

Richard Hannon trainee Persica (Ire) (New Bay {GB}), who retains an entry in next month's G1 Lockinge Stakes, continued on the upgrade with a first pattern-race triumph in Tuesday's G3 bet365 Earl Of Sefton Stakes at Newmarket. Last term's Listed Doonside Cup victor, who hit the board in February's G3 Winter Derby when last seen, was positioned in second for most of this nine-furlong contest. Relishing the rain-softened ground, the 3-1 chance loomed large going ominously well approaching the quarter-mile marker and powered clear up the hill to account for...

Irish 2,000 Guineas and St James's Palace Stakes hero Rosallion (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}) is back and is being pointed towards the G1 Lockinge Stakes at Newbury.  One of the stars of the 2024 Flat season, Rosallion has not been seen since getting the better of Henry Longfellow (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in a pulsating edition of the St James's Palace.  However, speaking on the Nick Luck Daily Podcast, his trainer Richard Hannon said the colt was training well and on course for a race the stable last won with Night...

Middleham Park Racing's Shouldvebeenaring (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}) will take up a stallion career at the Irish National Stud next year, Middleham Park Racing's Tom Palin confirmed on Tuesday. Entered in the G2 Challenge Stakes at Newmarket on Friday, the colt is eyeing the G1 QIPCO Champions Sprint Stakes as a likely finale. The French Group 3 winner was second in the 2023 G1 Sprint Cup Stakes and third in the G1 Prix de la Foret last year. He's also placed third in both the G2 City Of York Stakes...

Richard Hannon has decided not to run Rosallion (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}) again this season, with the G1 Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot being nominated as his first major target of 2025. The three-year-old was due to contest the Sussex Stakes after he'd established himself among the best of his generation with back-to-back top-level victories in the Irish 2,000 Guineas at the Curragh and St James's Palace Stakes at the Royal meeting, but he was forced to miss Goodwood after being found to be suffering from a respiratory infection....

Irish 2,000 Guineas and St James's Palace Stakes winner Rosallion (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}) "is not finished" for the season, according to trainer Richard Hannon, despite conflicting reports appearing elsewhere in the media. Rosallion was a last minute withdrawal from the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood last week and Hannon admitted to being unsure whether the horse would be seen on a racecourse again this season when asked about the colt's next target. Next month's Prix Du Moulin at ParisLongchamp was mooted as a suitable option for Rosallion's comeback, but that...

Star miler Rosallion (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}) will miss the Qatar Sussex Stakes at Goodwood on Wednesday due to a respiratory infection. Runner-up to Notable Speech (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the 2,000 Guineas on his three-year-old debut, Rosallion went one better in the Irish edition before turning the tables on his Newmarket conqueror when landing the St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot. Richard Hannon's colt was again set to clash with Notable Speech, who disappointed at the royal meeting, and the St James's Palace runner-up Henry Longfellow (Ire) (Dubawi...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...