Toronado so good in the Craven Hot favourite Toronado won the Novae Bloodstock Insurance Craven Stakes in the style of a classy performer. All the talk ahead of the QIPCO 2000 Guineas trial at Newmarket had surrounded Richard Hannon's colt and he was sent off the 8/11 favourite against three rivals despite conceding weight all round. Richard Hughes allowed his mount to bowl along in front with Dundonnel, Havana Gold and Tawhid following in behind in single file. The last-named was the first to come under pressure and it wasn't long before the riders of the other pair began to ask their colts for greater effort but Hughes was still motionless aboard the leader. Once asked to lengthen by the Champion Jockey, the High Chaparral colt quickened in good style without being asked for maximum effort and strode clear to a four length success. Hannon very happy in the winners' enclosure. He said: "He's a machine, he's a good horse. We've always known it but he's proved it today. He quickened and he quickened again ,he's a very very good horse. "He'll come back for the Guineas and what beats him will win I guess. If you look at him there he's not quite there in his coat but in a fortnight's time he'll come back here looking a lot better than he did today. "He's worked so well and worked with a lot of good horses like Olympic Glory who runs in the Greenham on Saturday. He's another good horse. I'd say he's [Toronado] the top of my pecking order. Thank goodness they belong to the same man, we can switch the other one to the French Guineas."
