
Bring it on – Hannon counting down to Ascot with Rosallion
In fourth was Notable Speech, who beat Rosallion in the 2000 Guineas but finished behind him at Ascot, and the pair look like meeting once again.
'I'm not going to lie, it was a little bit disappointing not to win, but he ran a super race,' Hannon told Sky Sports Racing.
'The reason he got beat in the Guineas last year, it's because he needs that first run. That was evident last year and even more evident this year now he's a year older.
'We're looking forward to Royal Ascot. Sean (Levey) got off and said he'd win the Queen Anne. I spoke to Charlie Appleby afterwards and he said Will (Buick) said he'd win it, so here we go again!
'It will be a fantastic race that we all can't wait for and he'll go there full on.
'You can win with horses in two-year-old races who haven't had a run, but at that level it counts. Some in the Lockinge were having their second or third runs of the year and my fellow was having his first run.
'Naturally ours improve for their first run and horses like him especially so. I'm not saying he's a certainty, but I'm looking forward to it.'

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Scottish Sun
8 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Templegate's Derby tip: ‘He's extremely impressive and has way more to come' – My NAP on a huge day at Epsom
TEMPLEGATE'S TIPS Templegate's Derby tip: 'He's extremely impressive and has way more to come' – My NAP on a huge day at Epsom Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) TEMPLEGATE tackles a massive Saturday of racing confident of smashing the bookies. The big race of the day - the year, even - is the Derby and 19 runners go to post for the 3.30 live on ITV1 - although one huge name could be pulled at the last minute amid a dire weather warning. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up Our man goes through every single runner and reveals his 1-2-3-4 Derby prediction in his brilliant runner-by-runner guide. You'll find all his picks below, so grab yourself a free bet offer and back a horse simply by clicking their odds. PRIDE OF ARRAS (3.30 Epsom, nap) He was extremely impressive when winning the Dante at York last time on just his second outing. That was his first start for nine months and he burst through the line to suggest this longer trip will be fine. His high draw could be tricky but not impossible and he has more to come. DOCKLANDS (1.35 Epsom, nb) He has some fancy Group 1 form including his second in the Queen Anne at last year's Royal Ascot. He was sent all over the globe after that with solid results and ran a solid comeback at Ascot last time. He'll be fitter for that and has won on quick and slow ground. VALVANO (4.15 Epsom, treble) He showed lots of promise last season and returned with a solid fourth at Goodwood last time. He should improve for that fitness wise and he handles any ground. Templegate's TV verdicts EPSOM 1.00 IF it comes up properly soft by racetime, Sparks Fly would be a cracking bet given her superb record in testing conditions. But assuming it's good to soft or quicker, ROYAL DRESS is the one to be on. She was an unlucky third in this last year before striking in this grade at The Curragh. She has since held her own in better races including when third at York last time. William Buick is an eyecatching booking too. Bermuda Longtail looked promising when beaten half a length in a York Listed contest last month and has much more to come. She gets plenty of weight for age too. Skellet progressed last season and is another who should be capable of better for Ralph Beckett. 1.35 DOCKLANDS has some fancy Group 1 form including his second in the Queen Anne at last year's Royal Ascot. He was sent all over the globe after that with solid results and ran a solid comeback at Ascot last time. He'll be fitter for that and has won on quick and slow ground. Persica didn't fire in the Lockinge last time but took a Newmarket Group 3 easily enough on comeback and has won here before. Ryan Moore's a good booking and he's a big threat. Royal Playwright gets the best part of a stone from his older rivals and didn't get the run of the race in the Dante last time. He could take a major step forward here. Royal Dubai wasn't disgraced at Ascot last time and looks the pick of the bigger prices. 2.10 AGAINST THE WIND could be the answer to this tricky puzzle. He has plenty of weight but has been running well with a Thirsk win followed by a fine York third last time. He gets away quickly so should be suited by this track. Naana's Sparkle ran a nice race at Goodwood last time when third and showed lots of pace. He looks on a fair mark. Ruby's Profit got the better of Mademoiselle in that race and they should both be right at home here too after showing a lot of boot. Tees Aggregates saves his best for Catterick so should love Epsom which is another tricky track. He may not be quite good enough to win but could be an each-way bet if you can get extra places. Blinky won a couple on the all-weather before a decent third at Chester last time. A repeat of that would put him in the place picture from what should be an ideal draw. 2.45 JER BATT always faced a tough task from a wide draw at Chester last time yet still ran a good race. He has some fine handicap form over this trip yet is still on a fair weight and the booking of Oisin Murphy is a plus. He'll be right there. Clarendon House is quirky but has enough quality to figure if he fancies it. He went well in the Group 3 Palace House at Newmarket last time. Last year's winner Dream Composer was also badly drawn at Chester latest but looked much better when second at Pontefract on comeback. He can figure again. Jm Jungle has been placed in hot York handicaps on his past two outings. He likes this trip and is a quick starter so has every chance. Vintage Clarets showed positive signs on the Knavesmire latest and is in the each-way picture too. 3.30 PRIDE OF ARRAS was a brilliant Dante winner at York and has more to come. French raider Midak looks overpriced, while Lambourn would have a say if the rain comes. And you never rule out Ryan Moore on Delacroix, especially as the jockey was simply brilliant on Minnie Hauk in the Oaks. Read my full guide to the field and 1-2-3-4 prediction here. Templegate's tips FREE BETS - GET THE BEST SIGN UP DEALS AND RACING OFFERS Commercial content notice: Taking one of the offers featured in this article may result in a payment to The Sun. You should be aware brands pay fees to appear in the highest placements on the page. 18+. T&Cs apply. Remember to gamble responsibly A responsible gambler is someone who: Establishes time and monetary limits before playing Only gambles with money they can afford to lose Never chases their losses Doesn't gamble if they're upset, angry or depressed Gamcare – Gamble Aware – Find our detailed guide on responsible gambling practices here.

Rhyl Journal
13 hours ago
- Rhyl Journal
Formal response just what Balding hoped for
Winner of her first two starts for the now retired Sir Michael Stoute, she is now with Andrew Balding but disappointed first time out for her new yard in the Fred Darling at Newbury. Supported into 9-4 joint-favouritism, Oisin Murphy tracked The Waco Kid until breezing to the front early in the straight, beating Saqqara Sands by a length and a half. 'I thought she ran well in the Fred Darling, but it was a funny race and she got impeded at a vital stage and didn't give her true running,' said Balding. 'It made our decision easy and we skipped any idea of a Guineas and rebooted and this became the obvious choice. It's a relief to see her win like that. 'She had been quite keen early doors at home and her work is very good at home, but we thought now she had the first run under her belt we would take the hood off. She travelled really strongly but didn't over-race.' He added: 'I think we'll probably wait for something like the Oak Tree (at Goodwood, July 30). I don't think we want to be squeezing races into her and that looks the right spot. After that we know she goes well on slow ground so we would have the whole autumn ahead of us. 'She looked quite good there, but we will take it step by step.' Richard Fahey's Ecureuil Secret turned the Betfred Nifty 50 Handicap into a procession under Oisin Orr. Sent off a 28-1 chance, the former Edward O'Grady inmate came home four lengths clear of the pack. 'When I saw what price he was I thought I must be doing something wrong, but the form was in the book,' said Fahey. 'He's a huge horse and he's only going to improve. The plan was a run before going for the Wolferton at Royal Ascot and this was the only race I could find.' Murphy made it a double on the day when he teamed up with David O'Meara's Mirsky to win the Trustatrader Handicap by a length and three-quarters. Sent off the 9-4 favourite having won at Thirsk last time out, the result never looked in any doubt. 'David O'Meara often gives me winners and I'm very pleased with this lad,' said Murphy. 'I took a pull to allow Flight Plan to go on and it meant I was able to give my lad an easier time of it.' David Loughnane's Partisan Hero (7-2) made all the running under Silvestre de Sousa to deny Fahey and Orr a big-priced double with Golden Mind in the Debenhams Handicap.

Rhyl Journal
13 hours ago
- Rhyl Journal
Appleby offers note of caution ahead of Ruling Court's Derby bid
Perhaps unsurprisingly given one is run over a straight mile and the second takes place over a turning mile and a half, few horses have landed the first two Classics of the British season, with only three managing to do so since the great Nijinsky completed the Triple Crown 45 years ago. Nashwan claimed Guineas and Derby glory in 1989, but it took a horse as brilliant as Sea The Stars two decades later to repeat the feat before Camelot did the same in 2012, after which he came up narrowly short in his Triple Crown quest in the St Leger. Appleby, who has trained two previous Derby winners in Masar (2018) and Adayar (2021), is hoping Ruling Court can etch his name into the history books, but said at Epsom on Friday: 'We're just on weather watch. There's not as much rain around – we were forecast showers this afternoon and it's been a lovely, drying day. 'We know what this track can do in these conditions, the horse is in great form and I'm looking forward to him running, (but) I will just highlight that if all of a sudden we get a deluge (of rain) and the ground becomes very testing, then conversations will have to be had during the build-up to the race over whether we participate or not. 'So there is a warning out there, but I think we'll be OK. It looks as though the weather has broken up a bit and the forecast tonight doesn't look as though it's going to be quite as severe as it was first forecast to be.' Like Masar, Ruling Court will be ridden by William Buick, who said: 'He's not too dissimilar from Masar. They have completely different pedigrees, but Masar was a good third in the Guineas and again went to Epsom having not run beyond a mile. They are not similar horses but have not too dissimilar profiles. 'Masar winning the Derby was the highlight of my career. I'd ridden in it enough before and been placed before and I thought I'd know how it would feel to win it, but it was an amazing day.' On whether his mount could be a Triple Crown contender, he added: 'I got asked about it before the Guineas and there were still three races to go! 'Ruling Court is heading into the most important race now. I'll answer the question after Saturday as I don't think I can answer it in a sensible way right now.' The biggest threat to Ruling Court appears to be Aidan O'Brien, who has saddled a record 10 Derby winners, including the last two and eight in the last 13 years. His chief hope this weekend appears to be Delacroix, who has impressed in winning the Ballysax Stakes and the Derby Trial at Leopardstown this spring and is the chosen mount of Ryan Moore. 'Everything has gone well with him, he's won his two trials and we always thought of him last year as a potential Derby horse,' said O'Brien. 'We've been very happy with both of his runs. We found out that he gets a strongly-run mile and a quarter and there's every chance that he will get a mile and a half. 'He has form on all types of ground and he's a big, powerful horse. We feel he has gone the right way every week really.' At the start of the year Delacroix's stablemate The Lion In Winter was at the head of ante-post lists for the Derby, but an interrupted spring campaign and defeat in the Dante at York have dented his reputation. 'He'd only the two runs as a two-year-old, winning his maiden at the Curragh and then winning the Acomb at York. The Acomb is over seven furlongs on a quick track and you're never sure, but we always thought that there was a strong possibility that he could (be a Derby horse),' O'Brien added. 'He's a good traveller, that's what he did in the Acomb and the Dante. I think Ryan was very happy with the way he travelled in the Dante, he travelled down the straight well and as he was getting ready to have a go he just got a little bit chopped and with a horse needing the run as badly as he did, that would be a big disadvantage to him. 'Everything has gone well since York and we couldn't have asked any more from him really.' The Ballydoyle handler's trio is completed by Chester Vase winner Lambourn, of whom he said: 'He had a lovely run first time and then he ran a lovely race in Chester. There's no doubt he looks like a horse that will stay further, he's straightforward and obviously he got the trip in Chester well. 'You couldn't be happier with him at Chester as we knew it would be plenty sharp enough for him, but he still coped with it and we're looking forward to seeing him run again.'