Top-class colt Toormore provided Richard Hannon with another Group 1 winner by Arakan in the Vincent O’Brien National Stakes (1400m) at the Curragh on Sunday.

Arakan (USA) was a stakes-winning sprinter at Newmarket (2), York and Goodwood for the Niarchos family.  The son of Nureyev received a kick-start at stud when Hannon trained Dick Turpin to a Group 1 in the 2010 G1 Prix Jean Prat at Chantilly.

Hannon also prepared Arakan four year-old Trumpet Major to Group 2 victories at Goodwood and at Sandown earlier this year.  His turn at the elite level can’t be far away.

“Toormore has bags of scope and is very much a horse for next year,” Hannon said.  “But we were anxious to give him one final run this season at the Curragh.”

Toormore (2c Arakan – Danetime Out by Danetime) is unbeaten after three starts commencing with a Leicester maiden against a very competitive field in May.  He dodged Royal Ascot to give Hannon and stable jockey Richard Hughes their fourth win running in the G2 Vintage Stakes at Goodwood.

Reserved for the G1 National Stakes, Toormore handed down a three-length lesson to his Irish rivals after making all the pace on Sunday.  “The Hannons have always thought a lot of him,” managing owner Tim Palin said.  “They’ve done really well with Arakan horses like Trumpet Major and Dick Turpin and everyone at the yard has always said he was at least as good as those two.

“Toormore is a gorgeous horse – big, strong and athletic,” Palin added.  “He’s a horse for the future.  He’s not put a foot wrong so far and we like him a lot.”

Bookmakers have priced Toormore as short as an $8 second-favourite for next year’s English 2000 Guineas.  Dick Turpin was runner-up to Makfi in the 2010 edition of the English 2000 Guineas

Dick Turpin (Ire) shuttles from the English National Stud to Mungrup Stud and his first eye-catching southern foals are doing a great job advertising their sire.

Mungrup stands Dick Turpin for an $8,800 (inc gst) service fee this year.  Broodmare owners can contact the stud for further details on (08) 9853 2103.

– Karl Patterson

TOORMORE
Arakan colt wins the G1 National Stakes at the Curragh