Play it safe Hughes leaves nothing to chance ahead of Sussex
Hughes is due to take the plum ride on Canford Cliffs as he faces a showdown with 2000 Guineas and St James’s Palace Stakes winner Frankel in the mile feature.
However, after the rider missed the July meeting at Newmarket due to a suspension, Hughes was not prepared to have to sit out the action as Canford Cliffs bids to extend his five-race unbeaten streak.
Victorious in both the Lockinge and Queen Anne Stakes, when he claimed the scalp of 13-times Group One winner Goldikova, Hughes believes Canford Cliffs is a dream of a horse.
“All my life I have looked for a horse like Canford Cliffs and I was not going to miss the ride on him – I won’t get another chance,” he said.
“I cannot wait for the Sussex Stakes. I am looking forward to it just as much as the race against Goldikova at Royal Ascot – we got that job done.
“Canford Cliffs is the best I have ever ridden – I have ridden some good horses in my career but the first time I sat on this lad, I had never ridden anything like him.”
The colt’s trainer Richard Hannon holds a similarly high opinion of his charge but put forward a cautionary view of his four-year-old’s record when racing downhill.
Recalling last year’s 2000 Guineas and Sussex Stakes, Hannon said: “It will be interesting to see what turns up at the five-day stage.
“I would like a good gallop with the other horse (Frankel) leaving the gate as fast as possible. Then it won’t matter.
“I am just a bit worried about that dip down the hill coming into the straight. He didn’t like it too much last year. He didn’t seem to like it in the Guineas either.”
On the subject of ground conditions, Hannon added: “Good ground is most likely knowing Goodwood, but he wouldn’t want it like a road. If that happened he wouldn’t run.”
Hannon concluded that he would welcome the chance of running “the best I’ve ever trained” over a mile and a quarter, pointing towards the Breeders’ Cup, Japan and Hong Kong as possible ports of call towards the end of the year.
Stan James.com make the unbeaten Sir Henry Cecil-trained Frankel the 5-6 favourite for the mile showdown, with Canford Cliffs a 6-5 chance, and both colts were in action today.
Partnered by Hughes, Canford Cliffs looked in tremendous order in a solo spin up the Herridge all-weather under Richard Hughes, while Frankel went through his paces on the Limekilns in Newmarket under Tom Queally, finishing well clear of regular companion Bullet Train.
Sussex Stakes, Stan James.com betting: 5-6 Frankel, 6-5 Canford Cliffs, 10-1 Zoffany, 14-1 Dick Turpin, 16-1 Rajsaman, 33-1 bar.
