Richard Hannon

Group 1-placed Snow Lantern (GB) (Frankel {GB}), who was second by 1 1/2 lengths in the G1 Coronation S. at Royal Ascot on June 18, is "fresh as a daisy" according to trainer Richard Hannon in advance of the July 9 G1 Tattersalls Falmouth S. at Newmarket during the Moet & Chandon July Festival. Hannon said of the daughter of 2013 G1 1000 Guineas winner and Falmouth runner-up Sky Lantern (Ire) (Red Clubs {Ire}), "She hasn't won a 1000 Guineas like her mum but she is going there hopefully to...

Mojo Star (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), runner-up in the G1 Cazoo Derby at Epsom at the beginning of June and fifth after a rough trip in the Irish equivalent on Saturday, has emerged from his latest effort in good order. Trainer Richard Hannon is considering the Sept. 11 G1 St Leger at Doncaster, as well as targets earlier in the summer. Second at Newbury in October, the bay filled the same position there when making his 3-year-old bow on May 14, prior to his runner-up effort in the blue...

Europe's most famous maiden Mojo Star (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) will face 10 rivals in Saturday's G1 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at The Curragh after Thursday's confirmation stage. Amo Racing's G1 Epsom Derby runner-up was supplemented at a cost of €75,000 by Richard Hannon this week and is the foremost representative of the June 5 blue riband, with the third Hurricane Lane (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) and fourth Mac Swiney (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}) set to re-oppose for Charlie Appleby and Jim Bolger, respectively. Hurricane Lane is in three,...

Sean Levey has already set several notable benchmarks in British racing--being the first black jockey to ride in the Derby in 2016 when fifth on Humphrey Bogart (Ire) (Tagula {Ire}) and, two years later, the first black jockey to win a British Classic when steering Billesdon Brook (GB) (Champs Elysees {GB}) to victory in the G1 1000 Guineas-and next week Levey hopes to earn a belated first Royal Ascot victory. The 33-year-old Swaziland-born rider, who will partner the likes of Snow Lantern (GB) (Frankel {GB}) and Happy Romance (Ire) (Dandy...

Richard Hannon trainee Gisburn (Ire) (Ribchester {Ire}) was unable to make all when an Apr. 16 debut fourth tackling five furlongs at Newbury in his only prior start, but the flashy chestnut powered up over six furlongs at the Berkshire venue to earn TDN Rising Stardom in hugely impressive fashion. The well-backed 6-4 favourite was sharpest from the gates and seized an immediate lead. Last off the bridle after halfway, he was given a shake of the reins with 1 1/2 furlongs remaining and surged clear in the closing stages...

Trainer Richard Hannon said he and the team behind Rockcliffe Stud's homebred 'TDN Rising Star' Snow Lantern (GB) (Frankel {GB}) opted to bypass Sunday's G1 1000 Guineas with a view towards the "bigger picture," which could include engagements in races like the G1 Prix de Diane, G1 Coronation S., G1 Irish 1000 Guineas and G1 Falmouth S. as well as a 4-year-old campaign. Snow Lantern became the subject of Guineas talk immediately after breaking her maiden in eye-catching fashion at Newbury on Apr. 18. "It was a team decision," said...

Sunday's G3 Watership Down Too Darn Hot Greenham S. hero Chindit (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) has emerged from his Newbury effort in good form and will contest the G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas, trainer Richard Hannon has revealed. A winner of the Listed Pat Eddery S. on July 25 and G2 Champagne S. in September, the bay was ninth in the G1 Dewhurst S. at Newmarket in his 2-year-old finale. "Chindit came out of the race brilliantly, he was in the pen most of the next day and has cantered this...

Michael Pescod's Chindit (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) arguably set the standard in Sunday's G3 Watership Down Stud Too Darn Hot Greenham S. at Newbury and while he had to work he was able to prevail in a tight finale to the seven-furlong Guineas trial. Successful in the G2 Champagne S. at Doncaster in September before finishing ninth in the G1 Dewhurst S. on a soft surface at Newmarket in October, the 7-4 favourite was on contrasting ground here and may have been feeling it racing in mid-division early under Pat...

Newbury's card-opening Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships Maiden S. saw a new TDN Rising Star emerge as Rockcliffe Stud's homebred Snow Lantern (GB) (Frankel {GB}) cut a dash in the country's best-contested race of its type so far this season. Entered in the May 2 G1 1000 Guineas that her illustrious dam Sky Lantern (Ire) (Red Clubs {Ire}) captured in 2013, the grey was second-best in the betting for the mile contest at 3-1 behind Juddmonte's Derab (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}), the John and Thady Gosden-trained half-brother to Enable...

While the British flat turf season officially kicked off at Doncaster at the end of last month, the real beginning takes place on Tuesday as Newmarket open their three-day Craven meeting. Any self-respecting fan of racing will feel that familiar warmth at the prospect of the fixture that hosts the Nell Gwyn, the European Free, the Earl of Sefton and of course the Craven itself. Tuesday's card has two longstanding race titles in the Alex Scott Maiden S. which gets the action underway and the Listed Feilden S. which pitches...

Entries were revealed on Wednesday for the G1 Qipco 2000 Guineas and G1 Qipco 1000 Guineas, with 72 colts signed on for the 2000 Guineas on May 1 and 63 fillies for the 1000 the following day. Aidan O'Brien has saddled 10 winners of the first Classic of the season and has 12 entries for the 2000 Guineas, including 2-year-old champion St Mark's Basilica (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) and G2 Vintage S. scorer Battleground (War Front). O'Brien's son Joseph, likewise, has Chantal Regalado-Gonzalez's G1 Goffs Vincent O'Brien National S. winner Thunder...

Tattersalls has announced a new £250,000 Royal Ascot/Group 1 Bonus for graduates of its Craven Breeze Up Sale, which is this year scheduled for Apr. 13 and 14 at Park Paddocks, with the breeze over the Rowley Mile on Apr. 12. Half of the bonus will be paid out to the connections of the first Craven Breeze Up winner of any 2-year-old race at Royal Ascot, with £100,000 designated for the owner of the horse and £25,000 for the vendor. The second half of the bonus, with the same owner/vendor...