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| Staff Writer |
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Rosallion and Haatem, both trained by Richard Hannon, secured the second and third positions in the Newmarket edition of the race. They have been making a name for themselves since their juvenile days, with Haatem winning the Gr.2 Vintage Stakes at Goodwood and Rosallion setting a record time at ParisLongchamp to win the Gr.1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere.
Before the race, all eyes were on City Of Troy, Aidan O’Brien’s previously undefeated colt, following his flawless 2YO season. However, the highly anticipated contender failed to deliver, opening the door for Charlie Appleby’s Notable Speech to claim Classic success for Godolphin. Rosallion finished second, while Haatem proved his worth with a third-place finish at odds of 16/1.
Both colts will now be competing in the Tattersalls Irish 2,000 Guineas at the Curragh, giving them another opportunity to shine after their strong performances at Newmarket.
“I’m very happy with both of them, they’ve come out of the race really well,” the trainer said.
“Both of them have worked well yesterday and now they’re on target for the Curragh. They did run very good races at Newmarket, both of them did, and this is hopefully a chance for them to get some compensation.”
After the weekend, Royal Ascot is expected to be in the spotlight. However, the two colts may not meet at that event, as a potential step up in trip could be on the cards for Haatem.
“I don’t think they will (cross paths), Haatem after this might go up to a mile and a quarter,” Hannon confirmed.