Rossa Ryan excited by his big opportunity on Duke Of Hazzard

2.05 Goodwood
Ladbrokes Celebration Mile (Group 2) | 1m | 3yo+ | ITV/RTV

Rossa Ryan has a great chance of landing the biggest pot of his short career when he partners recent course-and-distance winner Duke Of Hazzard for Paul Cole in the Ladbrokes Celebration Mile.

It will be Ryan's first time on the three-year-old, who is stepping up to Group 2 level after beating Turjomaan in the Group 3 Bonhams Thoroughbred Stakes at the Qatar Goodwood Festival and also won at Goodwood last year, and he is excited about it.

Ryan is in his third full season and has had six winners for the stable from only 26 rides. His biggest win to date was on John Quinn's El Astronaute in a valuable sprint handicap at York a year ago.

He said: "I couldn't ask for a better chance of winning a Group race. It's a hot race, but it's a tremendous ride to get."

Cole said Duke Of Hazzard has "never been better" and pointed out that "he loves the course".

He added: "I didn't think we would get a jockey, with York, Newmarket and all the rest on, but Rossa rides for us a bit and has done well. It's a great opportunity for him and I'm sure he'll make the most of it."

Guineas form under scrutiny

William Haggas is looking forward to seeing his Qipco 2,000 Guineas third Skardu back in action and then making plans for the autumn.

The Craven Stakes winner has been mixing it with the best and since the Guineas has been fourth in the Irish equivalent and the St James's Palace Stakes, beaten only a length and a half by Circus Maximus in the latter.

Haggas said: "He's had a break deliberately, and he's coming back with various plans for later in the season. I'm very happy with the way he's worked and I'm hoping he will run a very good race. He's a very nice horse, and he had good form with the best of them in the spring."

Murphy bids for fourth successive win

Oisin Murphy won two Celebration Miles on Lightning Spear and a third last year on the ill-fated Beat The Bank, whose connections he represents again when he partners recent Qatar Sussex Stakes fourth Happy Power.

Andrew Balding is sweet on Happy Power's prospects and said: "Happy Power has an obvious chance. His fourth behind Too Darn Hot in the Sussex was a smashing run, and so track and trip are no problem.

"Bar his blip in the Jersey Stakes, where we probably ran him back too soon, I think he's had a really encouraging second season."

What other trainers say

Richard Hannon, trainer of Beat Le Bon
This has been the plan ever since his impressive win in the Unibet Golden Mile and he's absolutely thriving. I couldn’t be happier going into this. Pat [Dobbs] gets on really well with him and he loves the track, therefore I’m very confident he can put up a massive show.

John Gosden, trainer of Turgenev
He's had a busy season and we've freshened him up for the Celebration Mile, which is always a nice race, and hopefully he can get a piece of it.

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