Leading British trainer Richard Hannon has nominated King Of Change to be his leading runner for the season and believes he could be one of the best horses he as ever trained during his career.
The four year old last season raced four times and truly arose as a horse to be reckoned with having won nicely at Nottingham on his seasonal debut before heading into the 2000 Guineas as a 66/1 shot and finishing a bold second.
From there the son of Farhh took a small break and was unleashed again in September, winning the Listed Fortune Stakes at Sandown and that set the colt up perfectly to land the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot on Champion Day.
After landing that Group One he is now a horse that Hannon can truly get behind and his aims this season look to be the Queen Anne Stakes at the Royal meeting and he could head there without a run.
Much the best – King Of Change powers to Queen Elizabeth II glory under @LeveySean for @rhannonracing at @Ascot #ChampionsDay pic.twitter.com/xZqV24K51l
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) October 19, 2019
(Credit At The Races) Hannon said: “He’s had a nice break and we’re obviously full steam ahead for the Queen Anne.
“I think he could nearly be one of the best horses we’ve had. I’d definitely have him up there in the same band as Canford Cliffs, Olympic Glory and Toranado.
“He looks amazing and he’s still relatively lightly raced. He doesn’t need soft ground, he won on it on Champions Day, he goes through it but he doesn’t need it.”
Hannon also is very fond of another colt in his yard and that is the Cheveley Park owned Threat, who was a dual Group Two winner last term.
The three year old won both the Gimcrack at York and Champagne Stakes at Doncaster last term before signing off with fifth place in the Middle Park Stakes which gave the handler food for thought.
Wins well on debut, beats a well-bred odds-on Godolphin favourite and takes some pulling up by @TomMarquand
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) May 5, 2019
Threat - remember the name pic.twitter.com/COwbeMtbHV
He looks to be stepping up to a mile aswell this year with Hannon believing he will get the trip.
He said: “He’s settled down and improved mentally – that was the main thing he had to do. He was a little bit immature.
“In fairness to him, the days he got warm (last year) were very hot days, but he got better as the year went on. Physically he’s done extremely well and mentally he’s done well
“He will give himself every chance of staying because he doesn’t pull, he’s very sensible that way.
“He was getting seven furlongs no problem in the end and I don’t see why it should bother him on fast ground. If he doesn’t, we’ll come back, it’s as simple as that.”