Major Guineas chance for Hughes
Richard Hannon’s stable jockey and son-in-law had to sit out Trumpet Major’s win in the Craven Stakes over the full Rowley Mile at Newmarket last week due to the hefty suspension handed to him by stewards in India.
However, Hughes is free to return to race riding from Monday.
Ryan Moore, who partnered Trumpet Major to his latest success, is said to be in line to team up with one of Aidan O’Brien’s runners in the colts’ Classic on Saturday week.
“It’s a case of keeping him ticking over until next Saturday and then Hughesie gets back on board and then off we go,” the trainer’s son and assistant, Richard Hannon junior, told Channel 4.
“Ryan Moore is riding one of Aidan O’Brien’s I think. Hughesie’s our man so he rides it. He’ll go well hopefully.”
Roger Charlton is hoping the weather is going to improve ahead of Top Offer’s Classic bid. The Beckhampton handler took the Khalid Abdullah-owned colt out of the Greenham Stakes at Newbury last week because of the soft ground.
“He looks great and I’m very happy, but we’re going into the unknown,” said Charlton.
“I’d like the ground to dry up a bit, maybe after Wednesday it will, so we will see.”
John Gosden has still to decide whether Fencing will line up but views him more of a French Derby type in the long term.
“There’s no final decision. I need to talk to everyone involved,” said Gosden.
“He was meant to run in the Craven but slipped a hind shoe back about an inch and the clip went into his foot and there was quite a lot of blood. The next week to 10 days was lost.
“But he’s back, he worked very nicely the other day, he’s ready to run.
“He could run in the Newmarket Stakes, he could run in the Guineas or a conditions race at Doncaster, all on the same day so we’ll see.
“I’d like to see him start out over seven or a mile as I think ultimately he’ll be a mile and a quarter horse, we’ve always had the Prix du Jockey Club as a target.
“I don’t think he can turn around the form with Camelot if he ran in the Guineas, that’s the simple answer.”
