Highlands stallion-in-waiting, Canford Cliffs, notched up his eighth stakes winner today as his son Cliff’s Edge produced a terrific display of power galloping for an end-to-end victory in the Gr3 A$350 000 Ladbrokes Classic run over 2000m at Caulfield.
Canford Cliffs in action
Canford Cliffs is only rostered to join the powerful Highlands, Part of Ridgemont, stallion band in 2018 but his progress is being followed closely as he builds his global footprint.
Cliff’s Edge victory here holds great hope for a big bid for glory in the Gr1 A$1.5m Victoria Derby to be run over 2500m at Flemington on November 4.
Irish jockey John Allen had no hesitation in taking the Darren Weir-trained Cliff’s Edge straight to the front and ran the race to suit himself. He turned on the jets in the home straight and stayed on best of all for a smart win.
Weir said that Cliff’s Edge has a great racing style.
“He copes with the work really well and that why he loves bowling along out in front and relaxes so well.”
“His last run definitely toughened him up and getting back to Caulfield where he was able to dictate and kick on the corner, it was always going to be a differently run race today.”
The magnficent Canford Cliffs
A son of Tagula, Canford Cliffs has been standing at Coolmore Stud since he retired to stud in 2012.
Trained by Richard Hannon, Canford Cliffs was an exceptional racehorse, whose seven wins from 11 outings, included five Gr1 races-in a row. His five Gr1 winning streak included the Irish 2000 Guineas, St James’s Palace Stakes, Sussex Stakes, Lockinge Stakes and Queen Anne Stakes and he ended the season with a runner up finish to Frankel in the Gr1 Sussex Stakes.
Described by trainer Richard Hannon Sr as “the best I have trained”, Canford Cliffs also won the Gr2 Coventry Stakes by six lengths, over subsequent Gr1 winner Extension, as a 2yo.
