Canford Cliffs, who continued his group I unbeaten streak in the June 14 Queen Anne Stakes (Eng-I) at Royal Ascot at the expense of Goldikova, likely will face the champion mare again this fall in the TVG Breeders’ Cup Mile (gr. IT) at Churchill Downs, according to Richard Hannon Jr., assistant to his father, trainer Richard Hannon.
Hannon said June 15 on TVG that Canford Cliffs, who has now won five consecutive group I stakes, likely will be pointed for a rematch with Goldikova, who has won the last three runnings of the BC Mile.
The Hannons will be looking for Canford Cliffs to avenge the defeat suffered by stablemate Paco Boy at the hands of Goldikova in last year’s BC Mile. Goldikova, in fact, defeated Paco Boy, a multiple group I winner, in three group I races last year, making Canford Cliffs’ Queen Anne victory all the more sweet.
Canford Cliffs, owned by The Heffer Syndicate, Michael Tabor, and Derrick Smith, has now won in succession the group I Irish 2000 Guineas, St. James’s Palace Stakes, Sussex Stakes, Lockinge Stakes, and Queen Anne Stakes.