Hughes to play waiting game

Richard Hughes will adopt his customary waiting tactics on Dick Turpin in Tuesday’s Juddmonte International Stakes at York.

Richard Hannon’s consistent three-year-old was supplemented for the prestigious 10-furlong Group One contest on Wednesday, with owner John Manley forced to fork out £50,000 (€60,000) for the pleasure of seeing him attempt the trip for the first time.

However, after victory over a mile in the Prix Jean Prat at Chantilly, connections have high hopes of stretching his stamina.

“They asked me for my opinion. It’s a very brave decision by John and it’s a credit to him, it’s really made it a proper Group One,” said Hughes.

“We were thinking of running him over 10 furlongs in a Group Two in France on Sunday with a 7lb penalty but my reasoning was if you are not going to stay 10 furlongs, you may as well do it against the big boys.

“John was very happy to supplement. He asked me if he’d stay and I said I think he will, but I couldn’t put my hand on my heart and say he’ll definitely stay and also ’it’s not my money, it’s yours’.

“John was quite happy to make the decision on his own behalf with the advice that we’ve given him.

“Ryan (Moore) rode him in the Guineas where he made the running, I went to France on him when Andre Fabre’s Derby horse (Lope De Vega) quickened past me and he felt one-paced.

“At Royal Ascot he made the running with two of Aidan O’Brien’s who finished second-last and last. The winner (Canford Cliffs) and third (Hearts Of Fire) came from the back and he finished second so he showed there that he stayed.

“At Chantilly we went a breakneck gallop all the way, I picked it up two from home thinking he’d find a length or two and he galloped all the way to the line very impressively.

“I want to believe that he’ll stay and the vibes from sitting on him are that he will, but at the same time I’ll ride him to get the trip, there’s no point kicking on three out.

“I’ll ride him to get the trip and if he has a turn of foot over a mile-and-two, he’s going to be a serious horse.”

Hannon had stated earlier in the week that Dick Turpin would be travelling to France for the Prix Guillaume d’Ornano at Deauville but Manley was prepared to have a crack.

“The owner changed my mind really. He said he owes us nothing and we might as well take our chance,” said Hannon.

“It looks like there will only be seven runners so he ought to have every chance and as his pedigree says he might not stay, Hughesie thinks he will and it will cost us £50k to find out.

“He’s playing with what he’s won. He’s been a tremendous little horse so far and we are keeping him on for next year, obviously, so it will be very interesting to see if he gets the mile and a quarter.

“As long as the ground is something like good, it will be fine.”

Paddy Power initially inserted him at 8-1 but they have been forced to shorten him into 13-2.

“As soon as we put Dick Turpin in the Juddmonte betting this lunchtime, punters piled into the 8-1,” said the Irish bookmaker.

“We laid the horse to take out in excess of £50,000 and have cut him to 13-2, which is currently best price across the media.”

Stan James, on the other hand, have trimmed Henry Cecil’s Twice Over a point into 4-1 from 5s.

Godolphin have two chances with Cutlass Bay and Cavalryman, with the latter also having the option of the Prix Gontaut-Biron at Deauville on Saturday.

“It is possible that Cavalryman could run in the Juddmonte International Stakes. He is in good form,” said Godolphin racing manager Simon Crisford.

“He pulled a muscle at Royal Ascot and didn’t run any type of race there, but prior to that at Epsom he ran well.

“Hopefully he will come back and have a good second half of the season.”