Hannon expects Mill Reef power surge
TRAINER Richard Hannon has backed Mystery Power to bounce back to winning form in the Mill Reef Stakes at Newbury today.
The colt possesses the best form in the line-up, having landed the Group Two Superlative Stakes at Newmarket in July, beating decent yardstick Juan Elcano.
But the mount of Ryan Moore was below par on his latest run behind the season’s leading two-year-old Pinatubo in the Vintage Stakes at Glorious Goodwood.
Mystery Power is trying to become the first horse since Caspar Netscher in 2011 to defy a penalty in the Mill Reef Stakes.
Hannon said: ‘He scoped badly after Goodwood and it took him a long time to come right again. We had to put him on some heavy antibiotics. Now he is working just like he was. I think he will run very well even with the penalty.’
Mystery Power’s rivals include Roger Varian-trained Pierre Lapin, a half-brother to 2016 Mill Reef Stakes winner Harry Angel.
Hannon left Newbury with a treble yesterday courtesy of Tabarrak, Separate and 33-1 debutant Theotherside, who is part-owned by West Brom striker Charlie Austin.
The performance of the day came from Quadrilateral, trained by Roger Charlton, who is the 14-1 favourite for next year’s 1,000 Guineas after demolishing her rivals in the Dubai Duty Free Full of Surprises Condition Stakes.
Meanwhile, Irish raider Buffer Zone is the strong 11-2 favourite to win today’s £200,000 William Hill Ayr Gold Cup.
Scotland’s richest Flat race has attracted a stellar 25-runner field. Buffer Zone bids to be the second successive winner of the Gold Cup from Ireland after Son Of Rest dead-heated with Baron Bolt to scoop the prize last year.
Yorkshire handler David O’Meara saddles Summerghand, Arecibo and Gulliver in the historic race that was first run in 1804.