Kool Kompany tops in Craven

Kool Kompany gave weight and a beating to his rivals as he provided the Richard Hannon yard with a fourth successive win in the Novae Bloodstock Insurance Craven Stakes at Newmarket.

A consistent sort in a busy juvenile campaign, he had a 3lb penalty for his win in Group Two company last season and was bounced out smartly by Richard Hughes.

He was tracked throughout by Nafaqa and on meeting the rising ground it looked as if Barry Hills' runner may go past the admirable leader, but his exertions earlier in the race took their toll as he went down by a length and a quarter.

Following on from the successes of Trumpet Major and Toronado for Richard Hannon senior and that of Toormore last year, the stable has had a real stranglehold on the 2000 Guineas trial.

However, bookmakers were not overly impressed by the win and Kool Kompany remains an outsider for the Qipco-sponsored Classic on May 2.

Moheet, a stablemate of the winner, ran well without ever threatening to win, finishing third.

Hannon said: "He's always been a very tough horse, but I was not sure if he'd stay a mile and he did have things marginally his own way out in front.

"He's been a little bit under the radar and people have not given him the respect he deserves, I don't think there was anything flukey about the win.

"The third has run a good race but he's a bit immature as he didn't learn a lot from his first run and he needed the experience today.

"Both will go for the Guineas."

Hughes said: "He's so tough and he always runs a good solid race, even when he was beaten in the Middle Park he ran a good race as he had been on the go a long time and he was not far behind them.

"When you get a horse rolling into the dip, it's very hard to peg them back and he killed them when he quickened.

"He wears his heart on his sleeve and his experience was key in a race like this."