Canford puts up a special display

IRISH 2,000 GUINEAS:SINCE CANFORD Cliffs started a 9 to 4 favourite for Saturday's Abu Dhabi Irish 2,000 Guineas, it is fair to say not everyone held doubts about his ability to last a mile but for the sizable proportion who did there was nothing to tuck into but a sizable portion of crow.

Rarely has the first Irish Classic of the season been won with such a display of imperious class as locally-born rider Richard Hughes steered Canford Cliffs to a smooth three-length success over the home outsiders, Free Judgement and Viscount Nelson.

Afterwards Hughes poured scorn on the doubters, although to be fair to him he was hardly changing his tune from before the race.

“Richard Hannon has been training for the last 40 years and if he says one stays, then he’ll stay,” he grinned afterwards and yesterday the jockey was looking forward to another clash with Makfi, the unbeaten colt who relegated Canford Cliffs to third in the Newmarket 2,000 Guineas, in the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot.

“At Newmarket Canford Cliffs went to sleep and I couldn’t wake him up but on Saturday he was electric. I have no doubt the Frenchman is a good horse but I think I have found the key to our fella and I think we’ll have our revenge at Ascot,” he said.

Royal Ascot’s Jersey Stakes looks a target for Jim Bolger’s runner-up, Free Judgement, while Viscount Nelson has been taken out of the Epsom Derby and will instead go for the Prix Du Jockey Club at Chantilly.

He finished a place in front of his stable companion, Steinbeck, who will also go the St James’s Palace route but it was Clive Cox, trainer of Saturday’s fifth Xtension, who caught the general mood at the Curragh on Saturday when he said: “I think we witnessed a special performance there.”

Royal Ascot is also the plan for the veteran sprinter Markab who made most of the running to land the Group Three Geeenlands Stakes under Pat Cosgrave, but in terms of the future there was little doubt about Samuel Morse’s potential after overcoming trouble in running to score in the Marble Hill Stakes.

Aidan O’Brien’s juvenile is likely to start next in the Coventry Stakes.