Richard Hannon junior believes the prospect of Canford Cliffs running at the Breeders' Cup is a "long shot".
The
Hannon camp were dealt a hammer blow with the news that the triple
Group One winner would have to miss Saturday's Queen Elizabeth II Stakes
at Ascot.
Hannon junior, son and assistant to his father,
Richard, told At The Races: "Basically he hasn't scoped 100% and we took
advice from our vet, Mick O'Gorman, and he said with a horse like him
you can't take the risk. It's hard enough in those races without going
there at 100%."
He added: "It's a massive shame obviously, and it
might cost us the trainers' championship but there you go. If the horse
isn't right he can't run. It's a massive blow to the race in fact,
Makfi, Rip Van Winkle and our lad would have been a hell of a race.
"I
think it will clear up in a few days. At the end of the day he hasn't
broken down, it's a massive shame we are not going to get to the race on
Saturday but we are still looking at other options at the end of the
year and if that doesn't pan out we'll put him away until next year.
"There
is the Breeders' Cup but that is a long shot, it is something that has
always been in the back of our mind and we might have a look at the race
but we'll obviously have to discuss it."
Following Canford
Cliffs' withdrawal a field of eight will go to post, with Cape Blanco
and Rio De La Plata other notable absentees.
While Cape Blanco
will wait for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, Aidan O'Brien can still
call on 2009 winner Rip Van Winkle and last year's Dewhurst scorer
Beethoven, who is set to be ridden by Ryan Moore again, while Air Chief
Marshal will also represent Ballydoyle.
Godolphin supplemented
Poet's Voice on Monday for the race and he is due to be Frankie
Dettori's mount, while Pat Eddery's Group One winner Hearts Of Fire will
be looking to put a disappointing display at Salisbury behind him in
the hands of Robert Winston.
David Simcock has declared the
six-year-old Bushman while Red Jazz will run for Barry Hills, but all
eyes will be on 2000 Guineas winner Makfi though, with Mikel Delzangles'
colt below-par on his previous trip to Ascot back in June when he was
reportedly ill.
ATTHERACES
