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Zoffany Halts Hannon’s Juvenile Hot Streak
16/08/10

East Everleigh handler Richard Hannon suffered a rare reverse this season when his red hot favourite Strong Suit could finish only third to Aidan O’Brien’s Zoffany in the Group 1 Keeneland Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh on Sunday, writes Elliot Slater.

Hannon, who sent out an astounding nine winners at Glorious Goodwood the week before, was expected to add another trophy to his seasonal collection with Coventry Stakes winner Strong Suit being backed down to 4/9 favourite, but Aidan O’Brien, who has an outstanding record in the contest having now sent out 11 winners of the race since 1998, produced Zoffany to not only get the better of Strong Suit and the highly promising runner-up Glor Na Mara, but also usurp the Hannon colt as new ante-post favourite for next year’s 2000 Guineas.

Everything appeared to be going to plan for Strong Suit as he eased to the front just over a furlong out under Richard Hughes, but having been boxed in at what seemed a vital stage of the race, Johnny Murtagh managed to extricate Zoffany who produced a thrilling turn of foot to cut down the Hannon colt and then held on to resist Glor Na Mara, who ran a tremendous race to snatch the runners-up spot on only his second racecourse appearance.

Bookmaker and racing tips reaction to Zoffany’s win was predictably swift with the Dansili colt being slashed to as short as 6/1 favourite by Stan James for next year’s mile Classic, whilst Ladbrokes cut him to a more realistic 10/1. Strong Suit, a general 6/1 shot prior to his Curragh run is now available at as much as twice those odds, whilst Glor Na Mara, a horse who had been the subject of glowing reports from the Jim Bolger stable earlier this term, justified his lofty reputation and has been cut to just 14/1 with the latest betting tips.