Chevalier ‘has what it takes’
Richard Hannon’s juvenile is unbeaten in four starts over the minimum trip, and was last seen winning a Listed heat at Sandown in May.
“People keep telling me that they will have Monsieur Chevalier on his head over the minimum trip, but they can’t possibly go any faster than they did in the National Stakes at Sandown, and he came through to win that going away,” he told www.richardhannonracing.tv.
“Maybe he does want six furlongs, and maybe he should have run in the Coventry, but he is four from four over five furlongs, so he can’t be that bad - and this looks an easier race than the one on Tuesday.
“The better the competition, the better Monsieur looks, and he can’t go there with a better record than an unbeaten one.”
His jockey, the in-form Richard Hughes, admits to have been taken aback by the colt.
He said: “Monsieur Chevalier has never stopped surprising me, and I am the first to admit that I thought he was just ’a horse’ when he won first time out at Folkestone.
“He never gives you much of a feel, either at home or on the gallops, and, though I know I’ll be pushing and kicking to stay with them early on, Ascot’s is a stiff five.
“When the leaders start to come back we’ll be hopefully cutting through them like a knife through butter.
“He impressed me when he won at Sandown – he is tough and he stays, and I can’t ask for more than that.”
Howard Johnson sent out South Central to land this prize 12 months ago but is not confident of repeating the trick with Kingdom Of Light.
The Exceed And Excel colt is dropping back in trip after getting off the mark over six furlongs at Haydock last time.
“He’s a nice little two-year-old, but I don’t think he’s as good as South Central was, to be honest,” said the County Durham trainer.
“He’s trained well since his last run and he’s a hardy little horse.”
Norfolk Stakes: Cashmans bet - 11/8 Monsieur Chevalier, 2 Yogaroo, 7 Radiohead, 8 Nosedive, 11 Tawaabb, 12 Kingdom Of Light, 20 Here Now And Why, 25 Running Mate, 28 Star Rover, 33 Reignier, 50 Diamond Johnny G
