Hannon hopeful that Rosallion can topple hot favourite City Of Troy in a deep QIPCO 2000 Guineas

Richard Hannon has high hopes of causing a second QIPCO 2000 Guineas upset when Rosallion takes on last year’s outstanding two-year-old City Of Troy in a blockbuster start to the fourteenth QIPCO British Champions Series at Newmarket on Saturday.

Hannon was in his first season with a licence when 40-1 chance Night Of Thunder inflicted the first and last defeat on top miler Kingman in the 2014 QIPCO 2000 Guineas. Ten years on a win for Rosallion would come as nothing like such a shock, for he is already a Group 1 winner and he is clear second favourite. However, the unbeaten City Of Troy looks an even more formidable rival than Kingman and has been odds on here for months.

Aidan eyes 11th Guineas

City Of Troy carries huge expectations after ending 2023 officially rated 6lb and upwards clear of his contemporaries with a mark of 125, which is just a pound lower than that awarded to Frankel in 2010. His three-and-a-half length Dewhurst Stakes defeat of Alyanaabi, when Rosallion’s much longer-priced stablemate Haatem and Iberian were among those further back, was especially impressive, and he is already no bigger than 6-4 for the Betfred Derby.

A son of American Triple Crown winner Justify, he has already been spoken of as a possible Triple Crown winner himself. However, while he goes to post with credentials as strong as any of Aidan O’Brien’s record ten previous winners, and unusually is his trainer’s sole representative, the stable has had little luck here since Magna Grecia won five years ago. Last year his hot favourite Auguste Rodin ran no race at all.

Hannon, whose father Richard won this race three times, admits that he didn’t fully appreciate the enormity of what Night Of Thunder did at the time, but after seconds since with Barney Roy and King Of Change, plus some lesser efforts, he knows all too well how hard a race it is to win. He doesn’t underestimate the task his pair face, but he will head to Newmarket full of hope.

He said: “Night Of Thunder was my first runner in a Classic and his win was a bit unexpected after Kingman had beaten him comfortably in the Greenham. I’m not sure I appreciated what a big deal it was at the time, but I do now. When you’ve been there once you obviously have a thirst for it, and this is the best chance I’ve had of winning the race again.

It’s a proper Guineas and whatever wins will be a champion

“Mine don’t usually go to the Guineas without a run, but Rosallion has been to Kempton twice and he also went to Newbury the other day, when he had a nice breeze on the bridle. He’s had a coat on him all winter like Paco Boy used to have, almost looking like a snake, and he has the same attitude Canford Cliffs had, as he couldn’t care less.

“None of our star milers like those two, Night Of Thunder, Havana Gold, Olympic Glory and Toronado won a Group 1 as a two-year-old, but Rosallion did, and he came from last to first to beat a Breeders’ Cup winner and break the track record when he won his at Longchamp. He loves fast ground – it obviously wasn’t the good to soft going they were calling it that day – so after a good drying start to the week I’m hoping Newmarket continues to miss the rain.”

He added: “It’s a proper Guineas and whatever wins will be a champion. It’s not all about City Of Troy either, as there are others you could fancy too, but I couldn’t be happier with Rosallion. I know he’s the best horse in the yard, and we’ll find out on Saturday if he’s the best horse in the race.”

Hannon also warns that we shouldn’t underestimate Haatem, who was so impressive in the Craven Stakes. He said: He doesn’t work anything like so well as Rosallion, but he’s different. He’s not a showy work horse, but he goes out and grinds them into the ground and that’s what impressed me in the Craven. He loved the mile there, and he’s a bit of a dark horse.”

Burke bullish of Guineas hopes

Night Raider and Notable Speech are two more dark horses for consideration. Both of them are unbeaten, Night Raider winning his two races at Southwell by an aggregate 14 lengths, while Notable Speech has gone through three starts at Kempton without much fuss. However, they are yet to race on turf and they are raised massively in class.

Karl Burke, who also has the QIPCO 1000 Guineas favourite Fallen Angel for owner Steve Parkin of Clipper Logistics, is convinced that Night Raider will prove himself a Group 1 performer at some stage this year and has suggested that there will be nothing travelling better a furlong and a half out.

Jockey Danny Tudhope, who like Burke has two good chances of a first British Classic this weekend, is optimistic and doesn’t share the concerns some have about Night Raider getting the stiff mile.

He said: “He obviously wasn’t up against much in either of his races but he couldn’t have been more impressive. His work at home has been absolutely outstanding, and he’s really maturing into himself. I sat on him on Tuesday morning for a little breeze, and he felt a million dollars.

“He had a gallop on grass for the first time at the Craven meeting and I thought he handled the track unbelievably well. You might say there’s a question mark over him getting the mile, but from the way he’s finished his races I’d say he’ll stay no problem.”

Charlie Appleby’s Notable Speech completed his hat-trick in quite a competitive conditions race last month, when William Buick was clearly keen to find out what he was capable of. His satisfaction was clear for all to see when the Dubawi colt quickened between rivals and came from last to first in just a furlong or so.

As the product of a mating between two Guineas winners – Frankel and Special Duty – there isn’t a colt in the line-up better bred for Saturday’s job than the Juddmonte-owned Task Force, who met his only defeat at two when second in the Middle Park Stakes over an inadequate trip.

It’s a great pedigree and we’ve just got to find out if he’s up for it

Trainer Ralph Beckett has been delighted with the colt’s preparation and said: “Task Force has been a bit under the radar so far, and that’s how we like it, but he galloped well at Newbury last week and he’s come out of it in good shape. He’s bred for a mile but we went for the Middle Park rather than the Dewhurst as we wanted him to learn to settle, and I think it worked.

“He finished the race off well that day, and with that experience of the Rowley Mile under his belt we didn’t feel he needed another race before the Guineas. It’s a great pedigree and we’ve just got to find out if he’s up to it, but I think he’ll run well.”

Clive Cox is making very positive noises about Ghostwriter, who gained valuable Newmarket experience and made it three from three as a two-year-old when a good winner of the Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes, and Charlie Hills is reportedly very happy with Iberian, who was among those who enjoyed a racecourse gallop at the Craven meeting. Outsider Ten Bob Tony earned a crack at the Guineas with a smart all-the-way win over seven furlongs at the same meeting.  Newcastle novice winner Inisherin, who is in the same ownership as Rosallion, completes a high-class field of 11. He is another outsider, but that won’t worry trainer Kevin Ryan, who saddled 150-1 chance Glory Awaits to finish second in 2013.