COULD it be a day of overdue firsts at the Curragh this afternoon for two well-established figures in the sport?
Richard Hannon Jr has won major Group 1s or classics in England, France, Germany and Italy, but a victory at the highest level in Ireland has evaded him since taking over the licence from his father, Richard Sr, a decade ago.
The 48-year-old probably has his best chance yet to put that omission to right when saddling big-race favourite Rosallion in the Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas (3.40). The Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum-owned colt sets a clear standard on the basis of his fine second in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket last time, and when winning the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere on his final start at two.
What’s more, Hannon has quality back-up in his bid to follow in his father’s footsteps at Irish flat racing headquarters. Haatem, winner of the Craven Stakes on his comeback before finishing third in the 2000 Guineas, is another major player for the Wiltshire-based trainer. Hannon Snr won the race three times with Don’t Forget Me in 1987, Tirol in 1990 and Canford Cliffs in 2010.
As for the other notable first involving Rosallion’s classic bid, it has all the potential to be a huge afternoon in the career of his rider, Sean Levey
Local experience
The Swaziland native, who spent many of his formative years as a rider with Aidan O’Brien after his family moved to Ireland in 2001, is out to record a first Irish Group 1 win on the same weekend as his top-flight career began.
Levey, a six-time Group 1-winning rider across Britain and France, got his first taste for the highest level when finishing down the field on massive outsider Beauty Bright for O’Brien in the 2006 Irish 1000 Guineas. The same filly was Levey’s only other winner in Ireland at the time, having previously landed a Cork maiden on her as a 10lb claimer. Levey’s last ride in Ireland came in 2015, so this weekend is his first visit to the redeveloped Curragh.
“Both Rosallion and Haatem have come out of Newmarket well and I’m happy with them,” said Hannon Jr.
‘Great chances’
“I’d like to think they are both going over with great chances on their Newmarket runs and we just have to hope everything goes right for them but we are looking forward to it. Both horses worked earlier in the week and pleased me and I’m hoping that the ground will stay as it is at the moment as that would suit. It’s good to be going back to the Curragh with two nice colts in a Guineas.”
Aidan O’Brien bids to put up a strong resistance in the opening classic of the Irish season, sending out River Tiber, Unquestionable and Mountain Bear, but he is without a runner in the red-hot Group 2 Weatherbys Ireland Greenlands Stakes (2.30), where Hannon is looking forward to being represented by Shouldvebeenaring.
It will be a quick turnaround for the dual Group 1-placed sprinter, who was only beaten a nose in the Group 2 Duke Of York Stakes at York 10 days ago.
Hannon said: “Shouldvebeenaring goes there in great form and looked to be back to his very best last week. He has bounced out of the race so we’re hoping for a good run from him.”
There is more British involvement in some of tomorrow’s feature events at the Co Kildare venue.
Last season’s Moyglare Stud Stakes heroine Fallen Angel (trained by Karl Burke) is back for more big-race Curragh riches in the Tattersalls Irish 1,000 Guineas (3.45), accompanied by Ralph Beckett and Juddmonte’s Skellet, who finished second in last year’s Group 3 Oh So Sharp Stakes when last seen.
In total, there are 11 British-trained runners across the next two days at the Curragh. How positive it is to see a travelling contingent coming to the biggest weekend of the Irish flat season so far. The races are unquestionably deeper as a result of their presence.