Ascot heartbreak for Hannon as Rosallion just eclipsed

Richard Hannon was left to reflect on a “horrible” nose defeat for stable star Rosallion in the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot.

A narrow winner of the St James’s Palace Stakes on this day 12 months ago, the son of Blue Point finished a promising third on his return from almost a year off the track in the Lockinge at Newbury last month and was a 5-2 favourite to claim his fourth career Group One win under Sean Levey.

Rosallion quickened up smartly down the outside of the field to ensure he reversed the form with the two that finished in front of him at Newbury – Lead Artist and Dancing Gemini – but having looked likely to pick up Docklands late on, the latter battled back to claim the narrowest of victories.

Hannon said: “It hurts, it does and it should. But he’s beaten an awful lot of champions and hit the front and just got done on the line.

“It’s horrible, but no one has died and he’s run a great race. He’s still a top-class miler and I really thought he had it.

“It was an unbelievable race and he’s done everything bar win, he’s done us proud and we’re delighted.”

Considering plans for later in the summer, the trainer added: “He could go to the Sussex or all of those mile races and that might be a sweeter day. Goodwood could be next and a mile is still his distance.

“All went fine and he’s ran a fantastic race. He beat all those horses that were in the Lockinge Stakes, but just found one too good. But we’re very pleased.”

Just under two lengths behind Rosallion in third place was Cairo, who was sent off a 100-1 shot for Alice Haynes.

Haynes said: “That was absolutely fantastic and three furlongs out I started to get really interested. He’s been in fantastic form at home and maybe he won’t win a Group One, but he deserves to win a nice race as he keeps knocking on the door.

“He’s ran the race of his life there and he will probably head off to America. We’ll go to (the) Arlington (Million at Colonial Downs in August) and do a bit of a tour and he can run in the Grade Ones out there.

“A mile or 10 furlongs on quick ground is what he loves and there’s plenty of money he can be picking up.”

Charlie Appleby bemoaned the lack of a clear run for last season’s 2000 Guineas and Sussex hero Notable Speech, whose rider William Buick dropped his whip after switching to the far side of the track on his way to a fourth-placed finish.

“It was a bit of a messy race, but fair play to the winner, well done to them,” said the Moulton Paddocks handler.

“For ourselves, I think it was clear for all to see what happened. We would all love to sit there and say what jockeys should and shouldn’t do, but it’s easy for us to say that from a bird’s eye view.

“He’s ran a great race, could I say he’s unlucky? I can say he’s unlucky in the way the race has panned out and in the end he couldn’t get there, but you could see it developing in that way.”

Notable Speech could drop back in trip later in the season, with his trainer adding: “William said sometimes is he really a true miler? He travels for fun and he could easily come back to seven furlongs. The race that is tailor-made for him is the City Of York Stakes now that is a Group One.

“We’ve got that and the Sussex Stakes which he won last year as options and a easier run mile there would suit him as well.”