'I know which one I'd ride' - Richard Hannon snr shares his Super Sprint pick

Richard Hannon snr, who has no peers when it comes to the Weatherbys Super Sprint, is sweet on Swift Asset for the £200,000 contest at Newbury on Saturday.

Along with late owner-breeder Lord Carnarvon, who was also the Queen's racing adviser, Hannon helped devise the race, which is for horses who cost less than £63,000 when bought from certain sales.

He has won it a record seven times, while his son Richard, now at the helm of the family's successful Wiltshire operation, has landed it on four occasions.

The yard is well represented this weekend with five runners including Miami Girl, who was fifth in the Queen Mary at Royal Ascot before winning at Windsor.

'He's the one I think'

However, Hannon snr is siding with another Windsor winner in the shape of the stable's Swift Asset, who carries the colours of Jonathan Palmer-Brown.

The former trainer, who owns a share of the colt, is not mad about stall one, but said: "I know which one I'd ride. Miami Girl is the obvious one, but is the one I think.

"She's a good filly, lovely looking as well, but she cost a few quid, so has weight. He has too, but is a quick horse. We ran him first time over six furlongs at Windsor where he didn't quite get home, but he hacked up when we dropped him back to five furlongs a week later."

Super Sprint: race for horses who cost less than £63,000 when bought from certain salesCredit: Edward Whitaker

The Hannon outfit also run Armour Propre, Galore and Land Of Summer in the Super Sprint, in which cheaper horses are set to carry less weight than more pricier purchases.

Hannon snr, whose seven winners included Lyric Fantasy and Monsieur Chevalier, added: "Lord Carnarvon helped get the sales companies on board, so long may it continue – it's been a good race.

"It's not easy now to find horses and get them in at the right weight, that's why I think Julie Wood's horse Land Of Summer is not without a chance right at the bottom."

Conditions at Newbury were on Thursday described as good in advance of Saturday's card, which is down to six races after no runners were declared for the 1m2f novice stakes for fillies and mares.

The track can still expect a sizable crowd with chart-topping artist Craig David due to perform after racing.

Weatherbys Super Sprint (3.30 Newbury, Saturday)

Paddy Power: 11-4 Maria Branwell, 100-30 Rogue Spirit, 13-2 Eddie's Boy, 8 Miami Girl, 9 Swift Asset, 16 Union Court, Dare To Hope, 20 bar

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