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| Royal Ascot News 2012 |
royal ascot 2012/ coventry stakes/
Hannon, O'Brien & Bolger Look to Battle it Out in Coventry Stakes
15/06/12
The Group Two Coventry Stakes over 6 furlongs has not always been a great yardstick for producing top class juveniles but down the years, it has produced several winners that have gone on to bigger and better things with the most famous winner being Mill Reef who won the race back in 1970.
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It is certainly a race that Aidan O’Brien likes to use having saddled six winners in the past 15 years and has a host of potential winners amongst his entries for this season’s renewal which takes place at Royal Ascot on Tuesday. Richard Hannon is another who likes to use the race as stepping stone for his more forward two year olds, trained Canford Cliffs and Strong Suit to victory in 2009 and 2010 and the two top trainers in their respective countries look set to battle it out once again in this race as they will no doubt in many of the five day meeting's 30 races.
Top of the O’Brien pecking order for the race is Cristoforo Colombo, a two year old by Henrythenavigator, the winner the Coventry Stakes in 2007. Winner of his maiden over 6 furlongs in May, Cristoforo Colombo is sure to come on again for his debut win and is rated the 9/2 second favourite to win the race with Paddy Power and Bet365.
Henrythenavigator of course went on to win the 2000 Guineas the following season and also added Group One wins in the Irish 2000 Guineas, the St James Palace Stakes and the Sussex Stakes. He also finished second behind Ravens Pass in the Breeders Cup Classic over 10 furlongs at Santa Anita before being retired. One of O’Brien other successes in the Coventry Stakes include Power last season who has already gone on and won the Irish 2000 Guineas and will be seen contesting the St James Palace Stakes earlier on Tuesday at the Royal Meeting and as such, Cristoforo Colmombo has to be held in high regard.
Hannon meanwhile appears to be relying on Sir Prancealot who won his maiden over six furlongs at Bath last month before winning a five furlong Listed race two weeks later in great style at Sandown Park, winning by over four lengths and seriously impressing stable jockey Richard Hughes in the process. Hughes is already booked to ride Sir Prancealot who can be backed at 7/1 with Bet365.
The main challenger to the O'Brien and Hannon charge is another Irish Raider is the favourite in the Coventry antepost market, Dawn Approach, trained by Jim Bolger and who is now unbeaten in three starts over in Ireland by a cumulative winning distance of 10 lengths. By the 2008 Derby winner, New Approach, this Colt comes to Ascot with a big reputation and is already the 16/1 favourite to win the 2013 2000 Guineas.
