Hills has faith in Awzaan's stamina

Richard Hills has no doubts about Awzaan's ability to stay a mile ahead of Saturday's StanJames.com 2000 Guineas at Newmarket.

The rider has only won the colts' Classic once in his illustrious career on Haafhd in 2004 for his father Barry.

But in Mark Johnston's unbeaten youngster, he believes he has the perfect candidate and one who he expects to be in the frame.

"All the talk about the trip is in the Press, Mark and I have no doubts about it at all. Whether he gets beyond a mile we're not sure, but one thing we are sure about is that he will get a mile well," said Hills.

"I think you have to look at these races on the day but normally there is always a pretty good gallop, especially at Newmarket. It looks like it is going to be good to firm ground.

"He's pretty straightforward. I rode him quite close to the pace in the Middle Park and he still quickened up. He's about as straightforward a ride as you can get really.

"Without a doubt he is good enough to win a Guineas. He's unbeaten, he finished up by winning a Group One, he looks great and gave me a good feel when I went down to Mark's to ride him work.

"For me, I can't be out of the first four," he told At The Races.

Hills has also urged punters not to dismiss Arcano on the back of his disappointing seasonal reappearance in the Greenham Stakes.

Unbeaten at two, the Brian Meehan-trained colt was beaten a long way behind Dick Turpin at Newbury.

However, Hills believes there were mitigating circumstances for that performance and is confident the public will see a different horse later in the season.

"We were disappointed but he was stood in his box for about six weeks as he had a little injury before he went back to Brian so he was very ring-rusty," said Hills.

"He was not concentrating with me beforehand and I think that race will have woken him up and next time you'll see a completely different horse.

"I think it's important after a winter off, especially with colts, that you put a line through their first run. We judge them on their second because they tend to forget how to race and I think that is what happened with him.

"I wouldn't be writing him off and there's plenty of reasons why he ran like that. Hopefully next time we'll see a different horse," he told At The Races.