Canford Cliffs, Dick Turpin to race next year

Trainer Richard Hannon hosted a media day at his main yard at Herridge in

Wiltshire on Tuesday and, as well as looking forward to the upcoming Glorious

Goodwood meet, revealed his two star sophomores, CANFORD CLIFFS (Ire) (Tagula)

and DICK TURPIN (Arakan), will remain in training for 2011. He also said there

was a chance the two could cross swords in the Sussex S. (Eng-G1) July 28,

although a final decision on such a clash is out of his hands.

Canford Cliffs has annexed the Irish Two Thousand Guineas (Ire-G1) and St

James's Palace S. (Eng-G1) in his last two starts, while Dick Turpin rebounded

from a second in the Royal Ascot race to take the Prix Jean Prat (Fr-G1).

"Both Canford Cliffs and Dick Turpin will stay in training as

four-year-olds," Hannon remarked. "I think Canford Cliffs will handle Goodwood

well -- he didn't like the dip at Newmarket, but would not settle that day.

"Canford Cliffs has really matured and put on a lot of weight. We took him to

Kempton on Monday and he worked around there with Quadrille (Danehill Dancer).

He has improved beyond recognition, and I am sure he is getting better. He is

certainly going the way to be being the best horse I have ever trained. We have

now got him to settle; he settles nicely in his races and shows a good turn of

foot. Now he drops his head and relaxes in races, which he was not doing earlier

in the season. I thought he would win the (Two Thousand) Guineas (Eng-G1), but

he did not settle.

"The Sussex S. is going to be one of the highlights of the week and, if we

happen to get rain, then Dick Turpin could run as well, as he needs the ground

on the easy side of good. (Owner) John (Manley) will probably run him if those

conditions come up. He has improved, too. He is always on the move and is a

grand horse. He is very good, and I think he could go a mile and a quarter.

"I don't want to really run Canford Cliffs and Dick Turpin against each other

in the Sussex," Hannon continued. "They are two very good horses, and I don't

want to keep knocking their heads together. They are owned by different people,

so there is not a lot I can do about it."