Hannon Yard Friday at the Ebor - good stuff yesterday!

Lilbourne Lad chases fifth Gimcrack success

Browsing over the record books with Richard Hannon earlier this week, it came to our attention that of his four Gimcrack Stakes winner, three were ridden by Brian Rouse (Sharp N' Early) Bruce Raymond (River Falls) and Willie Carson (Rock City), all long since retired, and, though Johnny Murtagh (Bannister) is still going strong, the boss suggested that it was about time we won York's big two-year-old race again.    Richard Hughes, who has never won the G2 sprint, rides our representative on Friday, Lilbourne Lad, who epitomises the word 'consistency' and is yet another advertisement for that wonderful sire, Acclamation.   The boss said:"Lilbourne Lad has proved a real star for us and he ran another cracker in the G1 Phoenix Stakes at The Curragh last time, only feeling the pinch in the last half-furlong. He has the 3lb penalty for winning the Railway, which does not help, but you could set your watch by him as he never lets us down, and I am sure that he'll be right there at the finish again."     Our only winner at the Ebor meeting last year came in the Convivial Stakes, courtesy of Moriarty, and this year we rely on newcomer Imperial Order for the seven furlong maiden.    The boss added:"There are plenty of well-bred debutants in there, but Imperial Order is a classy looking Excellent Art colt, who cost Sir Robert Ogden 75,000 grand at Doncaster Sales and, hopefully, he is ready to do himself justice."