Hannon duo ready to chase Classic compensation at the Curragh

Molly Hunter
May 20, 2024 1:38 pm

Newmarket placed runners gunning for Irish 2,000 Guineas gold.

Rosallion and Haatem will be vying for Guineas compensation at the Curragh after taking the second- and third-placed spots in the Newmarket edition of the race.

Both colts are trained by Richard Hannon and gained significant reputations as juveniles, with Haatem taking the Group Two Vintage Stakes at Goodwood and Rosallion landing the Group One Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere in record time at ParisLongchamp.

Every 2000 Guineas contender came into the race in the shadow of City Of Troy, however, with Aidan O’Brien’s previously unbeaten colt spoken of with the utmost reverence after his flawless two-year-old season.

That bubble was sharply burst when he failed to run any sort of a race, and it was Charlie Appleby’s Notable Speech who came to the fore to turn his all-weather form into Classic success for Godolphin.

Rosallion ran admirably behind him in second, beaten a length and a half, and Haatem was vindicated when following his rather dismissed Craven triumph with a third-placed effort at odds of 16-1.

Now both of Hannon’s colts will take aim at the Tattersalls Irish 2,000 Guineas at the Curragh on Saturday, locking horns again having taken their Newmarket exertions well.

“I’m very happy with both of them, they’ve come out of the race really well,” the trainer said.

“Both of them have worked well yesterday and now they’re on target for the Curragh.

“They did run very good races at Newmarket, both of them did, and this is hopefully a chance for them to get some compensation.”

Royal Ascot is likely to come into focus after the weekend, though the two colts will not necessarily meet at that fixture as a step up in trip could beckon for Haatem.

“I don’t think they will (cross paths), Haatem after this might go up to a mile and a quarter,” Hannon confirmed.