3 minute read
The Canford Cliffs team of Richard Hughes and Richard Hannon struck again at Royal Ascot on Wednesday, wining the Group 3 Jersey Stakes with Strong Suit.
Strong Suit, the winner of the Coventry Stakes 12 months ago, underwent a breathing operation after he disappointed on his seasonal reappearance in the Greenham Stakes.
Hannon said: "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.
"We took him to Kempton to work with Canford Cliffs the other day and he worked brilliant.
"He had a 5lb penalty has done a very good job of it really. A mile wouldn't worry him."
Hughes had Strong Suit at the head of the chasing pack as Utley cut out the early running.
He easily rounded up the leader at the furlong and ran to the line freely under a confident ride from Hughes to score by half a length.
The well backed favourite Codemaster tried hard to close the gap but couldn't get past whilst Western Aristocrat came from a long way back for third.
Hughes said: "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 OK 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.
"He was flowing today, which he couldn't when his breathing was affecting him. He moved brilliantly."
Assistant trainer Richard Hannon junior said: "He's got to go a mile now so we'll probably look at something like the Prix Jacques le Marois.
"All those big mile races are possible. We've got to go the Group One route with him now."
Hannon and Hughes made it three wins from the first 11 races of the week when Best Terms held off the touted Shumoos in the Queen Mary Stakes.
Shumoos just failed to peg back Best Terms by a short head with just another head back to Caledonia Lady in third.
Hughes said: "She's a little superstar. I couldn't believe the way she walked the ring today - she was like an old chaser.
“I walked her out on to the track and I had to give her two smacks to canter on, usually you're trying to hold them back.
"I jumped very awkwardly and it took me 100 yards to get her balanced, but she really stuck her head outwell to the line.
“She's tiny and I felt like a big octopus on her! I don't do her justice.”