'It’s always won by a good horse - hopefully he fits the bill' - Richard Hannon sweet on runner in storied contest

The second of two straight Derby winners to emerge from the race, the mighty Shergar, had posted his name on the Epsom honours board by the time Haynes, Hanson & Clark took up the sponsorship of a mile conditions race for two-year-olds at Newbury.

The wine merchant has shown itself to be anything but a bandwagon-jumper since, retaining the link to the present day and outlasting every other commercial race sponsorship across British racing in the process.

It has been rewarded with two more Derby winners in Shahrastani and Authorized – neither of whom actually won at Newbury – while in the last decade the race has produced the likes of stakes stalwart Stormy Antarctic, Lingfield Derby Trial and Prix Guillaume d'Ornano winner Knight To Behold and a Breeders' Cup Turf winner in Yibir.

Richard Hannon sends Sheikh Mohammed Obaid's King Of Cities, a winner at Chester in ready fashion and the product of the union between Dubawi and the owner's Prix Jean Romanet winner Ajman Princess, making him a half-brother to Inisherin.

"I was very pleased with the way he won at Chester, while his first run came in what turned out to be a very hot race," said Hannon. "The mile will suit him and he’s a very nice horse to look forward to for next year.

"It’s always a very good race, or won by a good horse, and hopefully he might fit the bill. We’re very happy with him and he looks great so hopefully he can be competitive."

Ajman Princess, whose son King Of Cities heads to Newbury for the Haynes, Hanson and Clark Novice Stakes

Ajman Princess, whose son King Of Cities heads to Newbury for the Haynes, Hanson & Clark StakesCredit: Patrick McCann

Dunamase, already proven over a mile after scoring at Kempton under Wathnan's retained jockey James Doyle and a brother to Coolmore's smart Age Of Kings, bids to give the Gosden team a fifth win in the race.

"This is a fact-finding mission because he’s a slow learner and whether he’ll be quite streetwise enough for this, I have my doubts," said Blandford Bloodstock's Richard Brown, who is racing and bloodstock adviser to Wathnan.

"This will tell us where we are for this year, but I think he’s going to be a much better horse next year and I think he’ll stay further."

Juddmonte newcomer Dissident also hails from a family very much in the news and represents a Ralph Beckett yard whose two-year-olds have notched 26 wins at a clip of 20 per cent in 2024.

Also worth setting a reminder for is the 7f fillies' conditions stakes (2.25) just over an hour earlier, which features runners who scored by wide margins on their debuts.

Beckett and Rossa Ryan are again in focus thanks to Amo Racing's Cathedral, who overcame greenness to win a newcomers' race at Lingfield by four and a quarter lengths.

Richard Kingscote kept a tight hold of the handbrake for much of Anna Swan's first run at Yarmouth but Cheveley Park and Sir Michael Stoute's daughter of Almanzor still managed to stretch five and a half lengths clear of her rivals.

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