Hannon and Hughes double up at Goodwood

Toormore (5/4 fav) cut down Outstrip in the shadow of the post to claim the Veuve Clicquot Vintage Stakes at Glorious Goodwood.

It had appeared for much of the final furlong as though Richard Hannon and Richard Hughes were going to have to settle for second in this Group Two contest.

However, the well-regarded Leicester maiden winner got on top close home to deny Charlie Appleby a second Group race winner from as many runners and to provide Hannon with his fourth consecutive success in this race.

Held-up in midfield as Rossa Corsa cut out the running, Toormore was shuffled back in the pack slightly as Mickael Barzalona kicked for home aboard Outstrip.

Barzalona's move appeared to be a race-winning one with Toormore and Coventry Stakes third Parbold struggling to make up the ground but the Arakan colt gradually hit his stride to win by a neck.

Hughes said: "He's a big baby and I had to help him a lot from the three to the one. I had to grab him, the second horse quickened well and if I went for everything then I wouldn't have got him, I had to help him everywhere I could.

"He's a lovely horse but he's all mane and tail when you're on him. I was drawn one and didn't want to get sucked into a race so I dropped him in and he settled lovely."

Richard Hannon jnr said: "He's a nice colt. He didn't go to Ascot because he was still a little bit weak. He won't run too many more times this season. You'd have to look at the Royal Lodge and the Dewhurst."

Godolphin racing manager Simon Crisford said of the runner-up: "We're not disappointed at all, he showed a good turn of foot and he'll stay at seven furlongs for races like the Champagne Stakes."

Toormore is now a 20/1 chance (from 33s) with Sky Bet for next year's QIPCO 2000 Guineas at Newmarket.