Richard Hannon talks Marcus Townend through some of his big hopes for the new Flat season.
Optimism envelops every Flat stable in the Spring but few trainers have more cause to look forward to the 2025 season than Richard Hannon.
In Rosallion he has potentially the best older horse in training and the Irish 2,000 Guineas and St James’s Palace Stakes winner is being readied for an imminent return alongside his Jersey Stakes winning stablemate Haatem.
Adding further depth and strength to the Hannon hand, he now also trains Unquestionable, who won the 2023 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf before finishing fourth in last season’s Irish 2,000 Guineas and St James’s Palace Stakes for Aidan O’Brien. All three horses are currently due to clash in the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot.
As he outlined prospects for his string to sportinglife.com, Hannon said: ‘‘We had horses like Dick Turpin, Canford Cliffs, Havana Gold, Sky Lantern and Toronado all in one hit and then nothing for five years. When you have had them and then don’t, boy do you miss them in your life. It is not just the winning, it is looking forward to the big races.’’
The 2024 season ended prematurely for both Rosallion and Haatem but their Royal Ascot exploits were the highlight of 2024 for Hannon, particularly Rosallion’s St James’s Palace victory. He had won the Irish 2,000 Guineas but his narrow defeat to Charlie Appleby’s Notable Speech in the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket, which he avenged at Ascot, had really stung.
‘‘It was one of the best days of my life,’’ Hannon reflected. ‘‘It was not about being proved right. It was a real kick to be second in the Guineas after he looked like he was going to bolt up.
‘‘The winner was a good horse but I feel mine was the best, although you are going to, aren’t you? Royal Ascot is where it’s at and there were four group one winners behind him. To cut them down and come from where he did, it was exciting.’’
