Ranking Richard Hannon's Royal Ascot contenders

Richard Hannon has enjoyed a highly successful training career since taking over from his father, Richard Hannon Sr., in time for the 2014 season. He’s already won half a dozen races at the prestigious Royal Ascot meet, including the Queen Anne S. (G1) and St. James’s Palace S. (G1).

Hannon is busy readying a strong contingent for this year’s five-day Royal Ascot extravaganza. He recently spoke with Tony Elves of attheraces.com to outline some of his key contenders for the royal meeting. To aid our handicapping, we’ve gone through the notes and quotes and organized a handful of Hannon’s runners into three groups, based on their chances of reaching the winner’s circle:

Group A: Primary win contenders

Gisburn

Fresh off a rousing 6 1/2-length maiden victory at Newbury, Gisburn is pointing toward a start in the Coventry S. (G2). The two-year-old son of Ribchester is among the top three favorites in the early betting, and Hannon believes Gisburn has serious potential.

“Gisburn is going to go to the Coventry and that has been the plan since he won so impressively at Newbury,” said Hannon. “He is quite a flashy looking horse, and he could be a very good horse. These Ribchesters look like they are quite useful and the Coventry is a race where you find out exactly where you are. You hope that you have got a good horse but this will tell us. I hope we do, he certainly looks like one, but the Coventry will tell us.”

Snow Lantern

Snow Lantern might not have the flashiest form at first glance; the three-year-old daughter of Frankel broke her maiden racing one mile at Newbury before finishing third in the Fillies’ S. over the same distance at York. But Hannon holds the lightly raced filly in high regard and expects a much-improved effort in the Coronation S. (G1).

“I think she is a very special filly and I hope she can show that in the Coronation Stakes. She pulled too hard and was too free at York last time and it wasn't ideal by any means,” said Hannon. “They didn't go very quick and it turned into a disaster. Sean Levey thought she held her breath and he said he was surprised he managed to finish third. It doesn’t dampen my enthusiasm for her one bit and they will go much quicker in the Coronation and I think she will acquit herself a lot better.

“She was breathtaking at Newbury and she looked like a serious, serious filly and we have got to get her back to that. She beat decent horses comfortably and I think everyone saw enough that day to know she is not run-of-the-mill three-year-old filly. Her home work is impressive and she really does look like she could be anything.”

Group B: Logical, but not unbeatable runners

Aristia

With just two starts under her belt, the sophomore filly Aristia doesn’t have much experience. But she was a determined debut winner over 1 1/4 miles at Newbury and subsequently finished third in the Fillies’ Trial S. over the same course and distance, which Hannon believes will have her ready for a strong effort in the 1 1/2-mile Ribblesdale S. (G2).

“Aristia has always had the Ribblesdale in mind,” said Hannon. “She is lightly raced, but she has learnt a lot in her two races and we are hopeful that she is going to run well. She is quite a quirky, very tall, elegant filly who has improved since here run in the Oaks Trial at Newbury in May.”

Armor

Flashy Doncaster debut winner Armor will compete in either the Windsor Castle S. or the Norfolk S. (G2), but although the son of No Nay Never is a talented prospect, Hannon cautions Armor’s preparations didn’t go quite as planned.

“Armor is a very fast horse and [jockey] Ryan [Moore] loved him when he made a winning debut at Doncaster,” said Hannon. “He has been fine since then and we were going to run him in the Lily Agnes at Chester but he was a little bit sore after being reshod so we didn't go there. He has been working well and I think he is a good little two-year-old.”

Motakhayyel

Victorious in the Buckingham Palace handicap at Royal Ascot last year, Motakhayyel failed to fire when finishing 15th over soft ground in Ascot’s Victoria Cup last month, but he’s been pointed specifically toward Ascot’s one-mile Royal Hunt Cup and should be ready to bring his A-game.

“Motakhayyel is in the Hunt Cup and we have saved him for it since his last run,” said Hannon. “He loves Ascot and he won the Buckingham Palace there last year and he could run a big race. He is a very talented horse but he has got to give lumps of weight away which is difficult especially against good horses.”

Group C: Runners who may prove better down the road

Gubbass

A debut winner sprinting five furlongs at Leicester, Gubbass could target the Norfolk S. (G2) over the same distance or the Coventry S. (G2) over six furlongs. But Hannon has yet to commit to one or the other, because it's unclear which race might be more suitable for the once-raced colt.

“Gubbass has been a very straightforward two-year-old and we are thinking either the Coventry or Norfolk," said Hannon. "He has had a nice break since Leicester and is a very professional horse that just does his job. When they have an attitude like that, they are normally pretty good. Sean Levey thinks six furlongs might be better but they go very fast at Royal Ascot and it is a very stiff five furlongs in the Norfolk—quite often the race falls apart late on so we will see.”