Cheveley Park Stud owned Threat has been decided by his connections to swerve the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket and instead will head straight to Royal Ascot to stake his claim in the Group One St James’s Palace Stakes.
The Richard Hannon trained three year old is thought very highly of back home and having been a dual Group Two winner last term, he feels that he can be even better as a three year old.
The colt won both the Gimcrack at York and Champagne Stakes at Doncaster during his last campaign before signing off with fifth place in the Middle Park Stakes which gave the handler food for thought.
This may be the reason why he is now being stepped up to a mile and having been a juvenile that took the eye last year, there are plenty of punters and racing fans that are looking forward to see what this youngster has in store for the season ahead.
(Credit At The Races) Hannon said: “He’s unlikely to run in the Guineas, Mr and Mrs Thompson love having runners at Royal Ascot and they just decided the track there would suit him a bit more and the extra bit of time would suit him.
A Guineas horse for sure... Threat further enhanced his claims for next year's Newmarket Classic with an authoritative display in the Group 2 Champagne Stakes for @rhannonracing, Pat Dobbs and @CPStudOfficial at @DoncasterRaces...
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) September 14, 2019
“There’s nothing wrong with him, it’s just a decision with all of us that’s he probably better off on a flat track and it gives him an extra bit of time. I’m very happy with the horse and he couldn’t look any better, but he’s probably going to have a busy year and they don’t really want to go in quick succession to two very hard races.
“I love the horse, I make no secret of the fact I think he’s very good. He’s grown up mentally and physically he looks great. The horse has been very good to me, so we’ll be kind to him.”
Having shown pace in abundance already, it may look a strange move to take him away from six furlongs and taking him up in the trip, with the son of Footstepsinthesand also never running over further than seven furlongs in his career.
He said: “He’s relaxed and around a bend might well suit him. If you’ve got a very fast horse, quickening off a bend is going to be more to their liking. It’s a lovely flat track, I think it will be more to his liking.
e proved himself as a stallion (prospect) last year with the Gimcrack and the Champagne and we’d just like to put the finishing touch on that with hopefully a Group One during the year and I think that is the best option for him.”