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All Signs Point to Rio
27/05/10
With the Richard Hannon team enjoying another terrific season and the yard still on a high after the success of Canford Cliffs in the Abu Dhabi 2000 Guineas at the Curragh last Sunday, it's time for the promising juvenile Cape To Rio to cement his Royal Ascot claims with victory in Sandown's listed National Stakes on Thursday evening, writes Elliot Slater.
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Hannon sent out Canford Cliffs to win the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot 12 months ago and, although it would be asking a lot of Cape To Rio to hit the same heights as his three-year-old stable companion, he is expected to prove himself one of the best early two-year-olds around with a win at Sandown booking his ticket to the royal meeting in three weeks time.
Spoken of favourably ahead of his debut at Folkestone, the 26,000 guineas son of Captain Rio brushed the opposition aside with ease to score by nearly four lengths, a victory that marked him as one of the hottest horse tips around.
Sent off at odds-on next time out at Windsor he had to work somewhat harder to get the better of Scarlet Rocks, a winner since that outing. However, the experience should have done him the world of good and taught him a great deal about the realities of being a racehorse.
Scarlet Rocks will face a field of six rivals at the Esher track, including the unbeaten pair of Dinkum Diamond and Nasharra, as well as Chilworth Lad, Novabridge and the maiden Foghorn Leghorn.
Currently on offer at 10/1 for the Coventry Stakes in the ante-post lists, those odds will tumble if Cape To Rio obliges on Thursday as the racing tips community goes crazy for him.
I for one will be getting on prior to the National Stakes in the belief that Hannon's likeable colt will confirm himself the leading contender for the Group 2 six furlong event.
