Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas (Group 1)

RICHARD Hannon hailed Rosallion as being right amongst the very best milers he has trained after the Newmarket 2000 Guineas runner-up showed plenty of quality to outmuscle stablemate Haatem by a head in the Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas.

The winning 10/11 favourite came from well off the pace under Sean Levey to provide the jockey and trainer with a first Group 1 success in Ireland, while he also provided his sire Blue Point with a first classic success from his first crop.

On an afternoon at the Curragh when British-trained runners struck in three of the four blacktype races, the Hannon pair came to the fore and had too much for Aidan O’Brien’s three-pronged classic challenge. River Tiber, stepping up to a mile for the first time on his seasonal reappearance, fared best of the home team with a solid showing in third.

A delighted Hannon was following in the footsteps of his father, Richard Sr, who won the Irish 2000 Guineas on three occasions with Don’t Forget Me in 1987, Tirol in 1990 and Canford Cliffs in 2010.

“It’s emotional because so much work goes into these horses at home with a big team,” said Hannon Jr. “I’m really pleased. These days are very rare and we’re going to enjoy it.

“He was a bit keen early. It took him a bit of time to pick them up. He’s such a hyped horse, he’s not going to please everyone but he got the trip today and that was the pleasing thing.

“This is a Guineas. They might say this wasn’t a vintage Guineas but all the best horses had their chance and these two have run smashing races. I’m delighted for Sean, Sheikh Mohammed Obaid and Sheikh Abdullah [Almalek Alsabah, owner of Haatem].”

A tilt at the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot is now on the cards for the three-year-old owned and bred by Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum.

“We’ll try our best to beat the horse who beat us last time [Notable Speech]. It’s going to be hard, and he’s probably had quite a hard race there, as did Haatem.”

Asked if Rosallion ranks among the very best milers he has trained, Hannon said: “Oh yes, I’ve always said that. The vast majority of our best milers didn’t win a Group 1 at two - Sky Lantern did but a lot of them didn’t. This fella did last season in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere. He’s got speed and will improve as he gets older. Haatem has improved beyond all recognition and we’re delighted with him too.”

Levey delight

There was a nice piece of symmetry for Levey winning the opening classic of the season in Ireland, as it was on this same weekend back in 2006 that his top-flight career began.

He got his first taste for the highest level when finishing down the field on massive outsider Beauty Bright for Aidan O’Brien in that year’s Irish 1000 Guineas, and 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.

“It’s special to win an Irish Guineas, especially for me because I had my first ride ever here,” said Levey. “It’s nice to come back here with a favourite’s chance and deliver. I thought he’d be hard to beat here today. I knew when I got to them, he’d just done everything right for himself, and he’s dragged me to the line, but he had to work hard to get by him.

“I was confident I was going to get Haatem, especially that last bit where he’s climbing all the time. It’s always difficult when you’re trying to have the future in mind, you know when you have to dig deep, and the other horse is your stablemate. It’s hard to see them come over here and battle each other, and hopefully they’ll both come out of it okay.”

Admirable second

At times in the post-race media obligations it seemed as though Hannon was just as keen to praise the efforts of Haatem as to talk about the winner. It is easy to see why he has such time for the likeable and improving son of Phoenix Of Spain.

“I love Haatem - he’s such a brave horse, and it’s a pleasure to have him,” said Hannon. “He’s probably run the race of his life and I’ve never known a horse to have the supporters he has. He probably didn’t deserve to get beat. His day will come.

“I’m not sure if he’ll go to Royal Ascot, I think he’ll get further. We’ll discuss plans with the team and see where we go. He’d be lovely to keep in training next season.”

Aidan O’Brien is considering Royal Ascot targets for River Tiber and appears still uncertain over his optimum trip.

“We were pleased with our runners in the Guineas,” said O’Brien. “I was delighted with River Tiber but probably would have preferred if it was more of an end-to-end gallop as we would have learned about the mile better.

“We still don’t know if he really gets a mile or not, so we have a choice to make at Royal Ascot - do we go six furlongs, seven furlongs or a mile?

“Ryan is wanting to go to the Jersey Stakes because he’s wanting to divide them all up to have Henry Longfellow in the St James’s Palace! Maybe he’ll get his way but it depends what the lads want to do.

“River Tiber has got lots of speed. He’d never gone beyond six furlongs before and it was hard to ride him any more forward than we did.

“He did what we thought he’d do, that he was better than [fourth-placed] Unquestionable but Unquestionable will improve plenty for the run because he got tired, which we felt beforehand too. Those horses could meet again in the St James’s Palace so it’ll be interesting to see how it works out.”