Richard Hannon scores again in Weatherbys Super Sprint as Gubbass wins at Newbury

Richard Hannon continued his fine record in the Weatherbys Super Sprint as Gubbass left it late to land the featured race at Newbury on Saturday.

The two-year-old handed Hannon his fourth win in the Class 2 race, just one year on from Happy Romance’s success.

Hannon, who also trains Symphony Perfect, finished second in the race, and the win for Gubbass capped off a tremendous treble on the card.

Speaking after the race, he said: “We have always liked him a lot, we didn’t go to Ascot with him, he is a very good horse and he is by a sire who is getting very good horses.

“I wondered whether he had the experience and that frightened me a bit and halfway through I thought he was going to finish about eighth because he didn’t look like he knew enough.

“His class pulled it through and the second filly [Symphony Perfect] has run very well and I am very pleased.”

On why he didn’t run at Royal Ascot, Hannon said: “He just wasn’t right and there is no point going to Ascot with something that is not working well, apart from Snow Lantern but the whole family do that.

“This race came at a good time and the right time, in terms of Goodwood and moving forward for the rest of the year.”

“He is a very good two-year-old and time will tell, but the further he went the better he got.”

The victory brings Hannon’s tally to four for the Super Sprint as he moves closer to his father’s [Richard Hannon Snr] record, who holds seven wins.

It has, however, been a strong few weeks for the Hannon team and he was thankful to have a crowd back at the Newbury track.

“There is room for everyone in this sport and everyone has a quiet time and a good time and we keep going because days like this are for the owners and the horses and it’s important they have their day.”

One of his other winners came in the form of Happy Romance, who landed the bet365 Hackwood Stakes.

Owned by The McMurray family, the three-year-old won the 2020 Weatherbys Super Sprint and backed up that success on Saturday.

Ray McMurray said: “After Sandown, we thought there was something there because she hasn’t had the going for her all season.

“We were cautiously confident and the last time we had the same ground was in the Super Sprint and she bolted up.”

McMurray admitted that the success in the Hackwood Stakes tops the win in last year’s Super Sprint.

“There are people here,” he admitted. “At the Super Sprint, we shook hands and went home.”

Elsewhere, Royal Ascot winner Real World continued his recent success by landing the bet365 Stakes.

Jockey Marco Ghiani, who was riding the Saeed bin Suroor-trained four-year-old in the Royal Hunt Cup, said: “Today he was boxed in and I didn’t know where to go, but it was probably a good thing because it’s the first time on the trip after a long time.

“He showed what he can do and he did it pretty easily. I tried to do the same as I did at Royal Ascot, I wanted to keep it easy, but he is an improving horse.

“To be a good jockey you need to have a nice horse and I think I have a nice one and hopefully I can keep going.”

Paul Nicholls, usually a dominant National Hunt trainer, sent one runner to Newbury in the form of Scaramanga and it proved to be worthwhile in the Bahrain Turf Handicap Stakes.

Jockey Silvestre De Sousa, who replaced Hayley Turner for the ride, said: “The horse stays well, he sat in the right place and put the race to bed.

“If the ground was a bit on the slow side it might suit him better, but he stays well.”

Meanwhile, there was drama in the opening race as a stewards enquiry was required to determine the placings.

Despite Home City pipping the Hannon-trained Tropez Power, the latter was awarded the win after the placings were revised.

Declared Interest was a winner in a Fillies’ Handicap Stakes, improving on a fourth place finish in the Kensington Palace at Royal Ascot last month.

Princess Nadia provided John & Thady Gosden with another Newbury winner, under Lambourn-based jockey Hollie Doyle.