My response to that Nass would be how come it has taken this long to find out he was injured ? they reported him to be fine after and ready for another go. Wouldn't be surprised if he picked up the injury in light work or something like that and they are looking for excuses
RP reporting that he is injured. Interesting to see how they use the injury, whether they state it was in training. I just hope he makes a full recovery from whatever the issue is.
RP reporting it was suffered when chasing home Frankel in the Sussex. I do have doubts about that but I do agree lets hope the horse makes a full recovery. I suspect it would have just kept him out for the rest of the season and he would have been put away then anyways.
Very convenient that they still managed to pay the Ascot entry fees just two days ago. Methinks this is a commercial decision from Coolmore.
Isn't it rather sad that some things about racing today, inflicts us with a liberal dose of scepticism. We're all too aware of trainers who "big" their horses, so they will be worth more at stud. In some quarters, Canford Cliffs was spoken about as a once in a life time horse. He may be just that, but who's to say that he's not copping the same treatment afforded So You Think. I'm a huge fan of SYT, believing him to be even better that UK fans think him, but the "hard sell" is on big time. Canford Cliffs may indeed have a career ending injury, who can be blamed for thinking that there might be a little more to this than we're led to believe?
There is a report on the Grauniad website here that contains more details suggesting that the retirement is precautionary following post-Sussex investigations.
First things first, let's pay tribute to a horse with phenomenal ability, a wonderful cruising speed and a lightning turn of foot. The best of 3 excellent Hannon milers in the stable of the past 2 years (Dick Turpin, Paco Boy), and beating Goldikova this year. Remember, whatever we think of the decision, it is not the horse who makes it. Been great to have had him around. My initial reaction was that Coolmore put their foot down in terms of stud value/fees, as another comprehensive defeat to Frankel would not be ideal, and retiring him now with the line about him not being 100% in the Sussex will mean there will always be CC fans thinking he could have beaten Frankel 'if fully 100% fit'. Hannon and Hughes have always said he's their best though, and to be fair they maintained immediately after Goodwood that they were ready for a rematch as they tnhought they could get closer. Who knows, leave the politics to the rest of them, and lets enjoy the fact that we have had one outstanding miler around alongside Goldikova and now Frankel.
Very interesting to note that in the 3 seasons that he raced Canford Cliffs never ran a single race beyond 23 August (and only 1 each season beyond Royal Ascot). Was undoubtedly a top, top miler (5 consecutive Group 1’s and an effortless Coventry Stakes success at 2 highlight this fact) who excelled across the years but I truly believe that he was exposed by Sir Henry’s Frankel and that like Goldikova they don’t belong in the same stratosphere as Frankel. Meanwhile, all the excuses in the book won’t, in retrospect, win him the 2011 version of the Sussex Stakes or bring him closer to that great horse. Will be very interesting to see if the closing of Canford Cliffs racecourse career sparks Richard Hannon’s retirement. Will he hand the old reins over to the chap who has in reality held them for a few seasons now?!?
I agree with Topclass 100%. No doubt the horse has a slight niggle but sadly imo Coolmore have made the decision whilst Canfords reputation is pretty much still intact. Absolutely no shame in losing to a horse like Frankel btw.
What an absolute load of bollocks this story is, this is just a PR stunt by the tossers at Coolmore, they know they will never beat Frankel, so theyve taken the cowards way out by faking an injury, and then claiming he sustained it in the Sussex in the hope that the horse saves some credibility with potential breeders after being hammered fair and square by Frankel. Even if the horse is injured which I seriously doubt, then why has it taken 8 days for the story to come out, and as has been mentioned they were paying the fee for the QE2 only 2 days ago. I love that ****** Hannon's interview aswell what a tosser he is aswell he was quoted on RP website as saying "It's bitterly disappointing for his owners and for everyone here in East Everleigh that he had to be retired due to injury, but at least it does explain why he hung so badly at Goodwood. We were very much looking forward to taking on Frankel again." Why can't they just accept the defeat and move on, they do it though because some donuts actually buy this sort of crap, they believe it , and Frankels great victory will always be tarnished slightly by the fact Canford Cliff's was supposedly injured. It's not on, Coolmoore pulled the same stroke with SYT at Ascot, they have invested big money in both CC and SYT so they become terribly sore losers when they lose in some ridiculous attempt to save the fact the horse the bought for X amount of millions isnt as good as they thought. I realy hope CC goes to stud and can't do the business that would be hilarious, then he would all of a sudden make a drastic recovery and be back on the race track before you know it
There seems to be a slight undercurrent of anti Coolmore sentiment about this contribution KS..maybe it's just me!...
My gut reaction, the horse is injured but he did it on the gallops at home yesterday/today. Far better to blame the race and have the image in breeders' minds that the old boy gave every last bit in the Sussex Stake than for them to think he has had a soundness issue. Pure speculation on my part though (in case there are any Coolmore minions reading this and plotting sending me to a watery grave off Dun Laoghaire )
King Shergar, stop sitting on the fence.. I agree totally, very sad to see that all to human instinct to put protective positioning before the truth appearing again. If you want to retire him retire him a fantastic horse as he is, no stories of injury. This i feel will sully his name rather than protect it by the way. I have not liked the Hannon's camps way of taking that defeat from the beginning, all just seems very bitter.
Would have been good to have seen a rematch with Frankel. Guess the Sussex stakes took more out of him though. Did it really take a week to diagnose???
I wonder what they will do with him- stud him?? Or will they just let him rest and be used as a hacker or something!