Tag: Sky Lantern

Observations: Windsor’s Return Sees Debut For Son of Sky Lantern

3.10 Windsor, Novice, £8,000, 3yo, 10fT
APOLO (GB) (Kingman {GB}) is an eye-catching newcomer on the first of the regular Windsor Monday fixtures in 2023, with KHK Racing Ltd having paid 625,000gns at the 2021 Tattersalls Book 1 Sale for this fifth foal out of the four-times Group 1-winning 1000 Guineas heroine Sky Lantern (Ire) (Red Clubs {Ire}). Already responsible for the high-class G1 Falmouth S. winner Snow Lantern (GB) (Frankel {GB}), her John and Thady Gosden-trained colt is fitted with a tongue tie and cheekpieces. The stable also sends out Normandie Stud's homebred Loving Feeling (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), a son of the G3 Prix de Flore winner Loving Things (GB) (Pivotal {GB}), while Sir Michael Stoute introduces Juddmonte's Liable (GB) (Frankel {GB}), a full-brother to the G2 Prix de Sandringham scorer and G1 Prix Rothschild third Obligate (GB).

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Snow Lantern Delivers ‘Very Special’ Redemption For Richard Hannon In Falmouth

Trainer Richard Hannon hailed Snow Lantern's victory in Friday's Group 1 Tattersalls Falmouth Stakes as “very special” and admitted he was relieved to have settled a score eight years after her mother's defeat by a neck in the same race.

The three year old Frankel filly and jockey Sean Levey were the decisive winners of the Group One feature contest on day two of the Moët & Chandon July Festival at Newmarket, defeating QIPCO 1000 Guineas winner Mother Earth (5-1) and a high class field.

Afterwards Hannon admitted the result provided some compensation following the defeat of her dam, Sky Lantern, in 2013 when the winner Elusive Kate kept the race after a stewards' enquiry.

Owned and bred by the Keswick family's Rockclife Stud, Snow Lantern prevailed by half a length, with Alcohol Free, the 5-2 favorite, another neck away in third.

Hannon said: “It is very special because there was a score to settle in terms of Sky Lantern a few years ago. The stud, Rockcliffe Stud, hadn't bred a Group One winner until today.

“We went to York to try and bag a Listed races but it didn't work out. She has learned to settle since then and I always thought she was not just good, but extremely good – this filly has a pedigree.

The Richard Hannon-trained Sky Lantern wins the G1 Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot 2013

“Sky Lantern is by Red Clubs and she was exceptional and I think this filly is exceptional. She has that pedigree being a Frankel out of a Classic-winning mare. She was a little bit unlucky in the Coronation, as you know, and she looked exceptional when she won her novice at Newbury.

“Normally in the Falmouth there are two or three nice fillies but all the good fillies were there today and she showed how good she is and what she is capable of.

“All you feel is relief more than anything. After she ran at York you are out on a limb and she needed to do something otherwise you look a bit of a plonker. I think she showed that at Royal Ascot on ground that probably didn't suit her.

“She has been working absolutely awful, as she does, and I took her to Newbury and she worked moderately there. She is one of those fillies that is not moody or anything but she just doesn't do a lot at home, but she is extremely good.

“I'm delighted for Rockcliffe Stud after everything that has gone on with the mare and she has always created a lot of interest and a big following. Of course you feel immense pleasure but it is more relief than anything.”

Asked about the way the race unfolded for jockey Levey, Hannon added: “She looked like she was going to struggle for room and if you struggle for room it is generally because you have not got the horse but he had the horse and it is great for him.

“Sean is riding great but a winner like this does an awful lot for him and for us. I think I shouted down there and I never shout because as soon as I shout they tend to stop.

“You look around and all the people were looking at you but they were shouting louder than me. She is a Frankel and he is having a phenomenal year, but her revs are a little bit high sometimes.

“She will get a mile and a quarter I think. She is in Nassau and the Sussex Stakes. I'd probably say she would go to the fillies' race (the 10-furlong Nassau Stakes at Goodwood). She is also in the Juddmonte International. I'm very hopeful she will stay in training next year. I love her.

“These Group One races you need to be at your best and there are no weak ones at all. I'm delighted to win one and not be unlucky for a change.”

On Sky Lantern he added: “You don't want to win a race in the stewards' room and when the day is over and I think 'do you want to win a race in that way?' That is done and today is great all these years on.”

Aidan O'Brien, trainer of runner-up Mother Earth, said: “She ran very well and we're delighted with her run. I'm not too sure in terms of where next – there may be a fillies' race in France for her but we'll wait and see how she is.

“We'll keep her to these fillies' races. We could try her over further but she's got plenty of speed.”

Oisin Murphy, the jockey of third home Alcohol Free, said: “She relaxed well in front and I just felt the race went to plan apart from at the three (furlong pole) when we got racing a little early. I tried to save horse but the last 50 yards told.”

Kieran Shoemark, who was aboard fourth home, Lady Bowthorpe, added: “It was a good run and I think the 10 furlongs of the Nassau Stakes (at Goodwood) will really suit her. She'll get the extra two furlongs easy and she was unlucky here.

“She didn't get the splits so I had to switch out and she's run well. I have no doubts that she's the best filly in the race.”

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‘A Score To Be Settled’: Snow Lantern Will Try To Go One Better Than Her Dam In Friday’s Falmouth Stakes

Richard Hannon insists Snow Lantern is capable of “settling a score” by going one better than her mother Sky Lantern eight years ago in the Tattersalls Falmouth Stakes at the Moët & Chandon July Festival on Friday (July 9th) at Newmarket.

The Frankel filly will bid to secure victory in the race that eluded her illustrious mother, who finished second in the 2013 renewal, when attempting to open her own account at the top level in the mile Group One feature.

Arriving on the back of victories in the QIPCO 1000 Guineas and Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot, Sky Lantern had to settle for second best in her quest for a Group One hat-trick behind Elusive Kate, who held on to first place following a stewards' inquiry.

After running out a stylish winner of a maiden at Newbury on her return Snow Lantern ran below expectations when finishing third in a Listed race at York before finding only Alcohol Free too strong on her Group One debut in the Coronation Stakes at the Royal meeting.

Hannon said: “We were disappointed on the day with Sky Lantern. I thought we should have been given the race but we weren't, but we then beat Elusive Kate later in the season in the Sun Chariot Stakes.

“She hasn't won a 1000 Guineas like her mum but she is going there hopefully to win where her mother didn't but should have and it would be nice if she did just that.

“She is as fresh as a daisy. It would be nice if she could win the race as her mother deserved it. She is in good nick and is good enough to win a race like this.

“There is a score to be settled there and it would give us some sort of closure.”

Assessing Snow Lantern's season so far, Hannon believes her effort at the Royal meeting last time out confirmed that she firmly belongs at the top table.

He said: “Her performance in the maiden at Newbury was top class. She has been brilliant apart from that one bad race at York, where she was disappointing. She didn't breathe for three furlongs – she just held her breath.

“She was back to her best at Ascot. She came with a lovely run, she just got tight for room for a little bit but she ran a lovely race and it showed you could put a line through the York effort.

“She hasn't been thrown in the deep end every time this year or last year but we are there now and she is able to compete at that level, she just needs to get a bit of luck.”

Among the likely opposition Snow Lantern will face is her conqueror from the Royal meeting, Alcohol Free, and Hannon is confident that with a bit of luck his filly can turn the tables.

He said: “The winner won well at Ascot but we look forward to taking her on again in the Falmouth. I always hate saying we could reverse the form as the winner that day at Ascot ran well.

“We didn't really have the rub of the green that day. Hopefully the ground will be better this time which will help our filly.”

Although Snow Lantern has a long way to go to match the exploits of Sky Lantern, Hannon admits there are plenty of similarities between mother and daughter.

He explained: “She has got a smaller profile than her mother at the moment but she is just coming good. She is a Frankel out of a Guineas winner. She really is the image of her mother. I've never known one so similar.

“She is quite a butch filly and thick-set. The revs are a bit higher than her mother because she is a Frankel but she could easily be as good as her mum.”

Meanwhile Hannon is leaning towards dropping recent course winner Lusail back to six furlongs on Thursday in the Group Two Tattersalls July Stakes.

Having made a winning debut at York, the son of Mehmas then lost his unbeaten record at Pontefract before making his first start over seven furlongs a winning one at the July Course last time out.

He said: “I think he might be a six furlong horse but we don't know whether to go for the July Stakes or the Superlative Stakes.

“We will work him at home first and go from there. He is still not there in his coat but he has been like that all his life.

“He won well at York then I don't know what went wrong at Pontefract but it did. He is going to go to Newmarket for one of the two but at the minute I'm thinking of the July Stakes.”

The post ‘A Score To Be Settled’: Snow Lantern Will Try To Go One Better Than Her Dam In Friday’s Falmouth Stakes appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Hannon Looking At “Bigger Picture” With Snow Lantern

Trainer Richard Hannon said he and the team behind Rockcliffe Stud's homebred 'TDN Rising Star' Snow Lantern (GB) (Frankel {GB}) opted to bypass Sunday's G1 1000 Guineas with a view towards the “bigger picture,” which could include engagements in races like the G1 Prix de Diane, G1 Coronation S., G1 Irish 1000 Guineas and G1 Falmouth S. as well as a 4-year-old campaign. Snow Lantern became the subject of Guineas talk immediately after breaking her maiden in eye-catching fashion at Newbury on Apr. 18.

“It was a team decision,” said Hannon of the call to skip Newmarket this weekend. “She's by a Guineas [winner] out of a Guineas winner [Sky Lantern], so the 1000 Guineas looked her race, but you've got to look at the bigger picture. She has been lightly raced up to now. She's a very heavy filly, and they are looking to keep her as a 4-year-old. They don't want to throw her into the deep end right now. I hold her in the highest regard–I think she could be even better than her mum.”

Hannon, who also trained Sky Lantern, said Snow Lantern can be “a bit of a madam.”

“She's a bit difficult; she can be a bit keen and can be a bit of a madam. But you don't mind that when they have the talent and ability she has. I've never known a horse look so much like her mum, so much so I got Hughesie [former jockey Richard Hughes, who rode Sky Lantern] to sit on her when he was down one morning. He didn't feel this filly had the same sort of speed, but I think she had an off-day.

“I think she's a miler personally. She won very well at Newbury, and I think she's very good. Although it's a shame to miss the Guineas, it will give us the opportunity to look at big targets in the summer.”

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