Lad sights fixed on Prix Morny

Richard Hannon is looking forward to seeing Lilbourne Lad test his powers at the highest level in France following his victory in Sunday’s Railway Stakes at the Curragh.

The juvenile impressed when running away with a Naas Listed event on his penultimate start and made a winning debut in Pattern company by getting the better of Tough As Nails.

Hannon admits Lilbourne Lad is not one of the more flashy works at Herridge, but feels he now deserves a crack at the Group One Prix Morny at Deauville in August.

“You would not know that Lilbourne Lad was there on the gallops as he is never spectacular in the mornings, but he comes alive on the track and he is arguably unlucky not to be unbeaten in four races,” the Wiltshire trainer told his website, www.richardhannonracing.tv.

“He is a very hardy youngster, but he needed to be to get on top of Tough As Nails, who lived up to his name in Ireland, and it was a real war of attrition between the two of them in the final furlong.

“We will certainly be looking at the Prix Morny at Deauville, but stepping up to seven furlongs would not be a problem, so the National Stakes would also come into the equation later on.

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“It was encouraging that he acted on the easy ground.

“It had dried out after Saturday’s rain but was still on the slow side and quite holding, so, having won twice on a fast surface, it was pleasing to see that he could handle some cut, too.”