Cliffs cruises home under Hughes masterclass
Report: Goodwood, Wednesday
Sussex Stakes (Group 1) 3yo+,1m
CANFORD CLIFFS landed a stunning blow for the Classic generation by winning the Sussex Stakes under a sensational ride from a super-confident Richard Hughes, prompting trainer Richard Hannon to declare his winner the best he has ever trained.
Hannon, who also said he would like to keep Canford Cliffs in training as a four-year-old, said: "I love Paco Boy and my Guineas winners but this horse just has it all. That's three Group 1s now. He's a gorgeous horse and always has been - and has a lovely turn of foot."
Hannon added: "I suppose the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot is an obvious possibility, as well as the Jacques Le Marois."
Canford Cliffs defeated last year's Sussex Stakes winner, Rip Van Winkle, in a performance that encapsulated all the impertinent brilliance of Canford Cliffs and the measured professionalism of Richard Hughes.
A delighted Hughes said: "He's a superstar. He's improved by 10lb and he actually ran a bit rusty there, he never got into full flight.
"I didn't want them to half-jump because we were downhill, so I missed the break completely because there were only seven of us and I could get him in behind.
"We weren't going that fast - the pacemaker was, we weren't. Rip Van Winkle nicked a length out of me, but I know how good he is.
"My horse pricked his ears in the last 100 yards and was in command. I still got him more or less on the bridle."
Hughes was always supremely comfortable on Irish 2,000 Guineas winner Canford Cliffs, exercising total mastery of his mount, whose vast capabilities are consistently judged to perfection by his rider.
Rip Van Winkle, flying the banner for the older horses, was assisted by a coterie of stablemates, but their tactical endeavours were rendered almost quaint by the ease with which the unescorted Canford Cliffs cruised alongside and then past Rip in the final furlong.
This had been billed as a two-horse race, but the three-strong Ballydoyle team endeavoured to prove their strength in numbers could influence the result. Colm O'Donoghue sent Encompassing into a hard early pace that left the front-runner seven lengths clear of Rip Van Winkle rounding the home straight turn.
Galloping past the three-furlong marker, the Aidan O'Brien-trained riders launched into their well oiled routine. Rip Van Winkle moved up to the front and Beethoven, the final partner of the Balldoyle triumvirate, proved a general nuisance in mid-division.
Rip Van Winkle hit the lead and went clear, but 2009 was not to be the last year that Rip Van Winkle's endeavours and obvious talent lost their gloss due to a three-year-old superstar.
Canford Cliffs, well positioned by Hughes just off the hind legs of Rip Van Winkle in the opening stages, was allowed to stretch his legs a little in the final furlongs.
And he picked up Rip Van Winkle with stunning ease to record his third Group 1 victory of the season. The neck winning margin was not a measure of how close this race was - it was evidence of a ride of the very finest quality from Richard Hughes.
Richard Hannon, who recorded his 50th Glorious Goodwood winner with King Torus in the Vintage Stakes earlier on Wednesday, said: "He’s a very good horse, one of the best I’ve ever had. I would love to keep him in training . . . then I might not retire.
“Paco Boy was in the same position last year and couldn’t pick up Rip Van Winkle.
“We’ve had a lot of interest from studs for him and it would be great if we could do a deal so that he could run as a four-year-old, maybe in the stud's colours."
Pre-race, Aidan O’Brien had said Rip Van Winkle, who left his disappointing Queen Anne form well behind at Goodwood, would improve again for his outing in the Sussex sun.
The trainer reiterated that afterwards, saying: “He's progressed lovely from Ascot which we though he would. There is still more to come though and he will progress again. At least he's run a good race and he travels well and quickens well.
"I've no firm plans for him at this stage, although York [the Juddmonte International] is a possibility."
O'Brien also paid tribute to the winner: "It was a great race and obviously he [Canford Cliffs] is a very good horse. It's great to be here and great to be a part of it."
Premio Loco, who had been supplemented for £19,500 by trainer Chris Wall, finished third at 17-2.
Wall said: "He's run well and he's run to his form because Dream Eater was at least as far, if not further behind us today compared to our previous run at Ascot.
"He's in some races in Germany where he won two Group 2s last year, and he's in the Group 2 Celebration Mile here at the end of August, so we'll give him a little break and see where we go."
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