Glorious Goodwood

2012 Betfred Mile

racing news/

Hannon & Hughes in Fire as Wentworth Wins Betfred Mile
02/08/13

1 Wentworth 6/1
2 Cape Peron 5/1F
3 Sandagiyr 25/1
4 Galician 11/1
NR: Boom And Bust (IRE), Boots And Spurs, Spa's Dancer (IRE), Stirring Ballad
18 ran Distances: ¾l, hd, ¾l
TIME 1m 36.71s (fast by 0.29s)

Richard Hannon and Richard Hughes made it a quickfire double at Goodwood as Wentworth triumphed in the Betfred Mile.

Wentworth
© Racehorse Photos

Owned by Sue Magnier, Derrick Smith and Michael Tabor, the three-year-old son of Acclamation is one of four horses trained by Hannon for that trio, the others being juveniles.

Having completed a near 12/1 double initiated in the previous race with Montiridge, Hannon said of Wentworth: “He’s been a little unlucky on occasions, and I thought he was very unlucky at Royal Ascot [when fourth of 27 in the Britannia Handicap]. We wanted a three-year-old handicap for him there, rather than for three and upwards, but I believe he’s Listed class and could go better.

“Hughesie thinks he’ll get a mile and a quarter in time and I reckon he could be a money-spinner next year if we can keep him in training. The big danger was Henry Candy’s horse [runner-up Cape Peron], but the ground probably didn’t quite come right for him, whereas this fellow goes on anything. I said to Henry they are probably two Group horses masquerading as handicappers.”

Tomorrow Hannon runs his Classic-winning filly Sky Lantern in the Gr.1 Markel Insurance Nassau Stakes. Of her he said: “She’s in great form and the ground willl be right for her, because she likes top of the ground, but there are 15 runners in the race and I hope she gets a clear run. I think ten furlongs will suit her.”

Hannon recorded his 250th Goodwood with Montiridge, and reflecting on that he added: “I wouldn’t want to start at one again! It’s taken a lot of years.”

Hughes said of Wentworth: “He deserved that. I went to the Britannia thinking he had a stone in hand, but he never travelled in the race. Last year on soft ground he travelled like a dream.

“We felt he was a better stronger horse this year, but once we jumped off in the Britannia I was never going. He was 15 to 20 lengths off the pace and it was only when I really got after him he took off. At Sandown I bullied him into it from a bad draw, and today I got him into it coming up the hill where I got a good position and from there he travelled, but that little bit of juice in the ground just helped.”

Betfred Mile (Heritage Handicap) (Formerly Known As The Golden Mile)
£130,000 added, 3yo plus, 1m, Class 2
18 ran
Going: Good, good to firm in places

CANDY STILL SWEET ON PERON

Henry Candy was delighted with the close second place in the Betfred Mile of the progressive Cape Peron, the 5/1 favourite. But he jokingly summed up what many of his colleagues must be thinking about banging their heads against the brick wall that is the Richard Hannon stable this week.

“I think if Hannon and Hughes have a runner, I won’t bother, I’ll just withdraw,” he said with a rueful smile.

Cape Peron, along with the 6/1 winner Wentworth, had the two most progressive profiles in the race. “Richard said to me beforehand that we both had Group horses masquerading as handicappers,” he said, “ and I certainly thought beforehand his was. He looked outstanding in the paddock, kept drawing the eye.

“Beside him ours looked a funny little man, but he is an athlete, and I am sure he will be better than this level.”

Both Cape Peron’s victories this year have come on easier ground than today’s, and Candy made a late decision to let the son of Beat Hollow, owned and bred by the Earl Cadogan, take his chance. “I was undecided until lunchtime today,” he said. “But though Dane [O’Neill, rider] said he wasn’t striding out fully on the way to post on the drying ground, I’m not sure we’d have beaten the winner under any circumstance, though of course Dane thinks otherwise.

“We haven’t any particular plan for him at the moment, we’ll just take it stage by stage.”