Tag Archive for: Manaccan

Manaccan misses out on Nunthorpe run

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A trip to the Breeders’ Cup could be on the cards for Manaccan, despite missing the Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes at York after a setback.

John Ryan’s crack sprinter has been a real flag-bearer for the Newmarket yard and won four times last season.

A four-year-old son of Exceed And Excel, he signed off his previous campaign with victory in a Group Three on Dundalk’s all-weather surface and opened the new campaign with a narrow defeat under a penalty when placed behind Vadream in the Palace House at Newmarket in May.

However, he was a late withdrawal from the King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot and plans to go up in class at York have also been shelved.

Ryan explained: “I’m going to leave him out of the Nunthorpe. He had a bit of a hiccup in training and it has meant me giving him a few weeks’ rest.

“Basically I’m not going to get the time, or by the looks of things, the ground that I want.”

He added: “Good, good to firm is his ideal ground. I know he has run on soft ground, but that’s not his thing. He is a lot better on good, good to firm ground, and that is not what it is going to be by then, the way we are going.”

Manaccan won three of his last four runs last season, including twice in Listed company, and Ryan is setting sights higher for the Newsells Park Stud-owned colt this term.

One target could include the Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Santa Anita in November.

Ryan said: “He would be rated high enough for a Breeders’ Cup and there are not too many horses of his calibre in the world, and it would be a thought in our mind.

“But at this point in time, we have to only think about what is around the corner, but unfortunately what is round the corner is only a few weeks away. He’s going to be a week short of where I want him to be.

“We’ll make another plan, simple as that. I’m not rushing him back. It is not life-threatening, not a long-term issue, but it just means he is not into full work at the moment.

“It has been a tough decision to make, but it is the right decision to make and it is better to make it now and let everybody know.

“The ante-post stuff means a lot to people now and, having had a discussion with the owners, the right thing to do is not to go to York. Why rush him when there will be other things to go for?

“It is just annoying, because it is a Group One, but it’s not going to fit, so the time to pull it is now.

“He’s all right and will be back to fight another day.”



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Nunthorpe consolation on the agenda for Manaccan

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John Ryan is targeting York compensation with star sprinter Manaccan following his late withdrawal at Royal Ascot last week.

The four-year-old was due to line up as a major contender for the King’s Stand Stakes under Frankie Dettori, but was declared a non-runner on veterinary advice following his arrival at the racecourse.

While Ryan admits the decision was “hard to stomach”, he is keen to move on and hopes to see Manaccan return to competitive action in the Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes on August 25.

“He’s able to get out and exercise, he’s sound enough,” said Newmarket handler.

“We had a little blip there, but we’ll tick through and see if we can’t prep him for the Nunthorpe. There’s nothing else before that for him, so we’ll do our best to get there.”

Ryan believes a prolonged journey to Ascot was behind Manaccan’s reported lameness and while disappointed his stable star was unable to take his chance at the Royal meeting, he accepts the decision made by the on-course veterinary team.

“It was an annoyance to say the least, but those things have to be abided by,” he added.

Trainer John Ryan at Yarmouth
Trainer John Ryan at Yarmouth (Simon Cooper/PA)

“He got to the racecourse and although he was sound, he’d given himself a knock and as a precaution, the vets felt it wasn’t worth taking a chance.

“I don’t disagree, if there’s doubt you’re better to be safe than sorry and we’ll try to make sure it doesn’t happen again.

“He had a long travel up – he was in the box for over three and a half hours. It usually takes just over an hour and a half from Newmarket and he left early in the morning, but there were accidents and stuff so you can imagine it was tough for him in that heat.

“It was one of those things, it happens. It was hard to stomach on the day as there won’t be another King’s Stand this year, but there will be another option.”



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Ryan relishing King’s Stand test for Manaccan

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John Ryan is eager to take on the overseas contenders in the King’s Stand Stakes with Manaccan – and hopes to have Frankie Dettori in the saddle at Royal Ascot.

The four-year-old ended last season in rude health, winning Listed races at Doncaster and Ascot, plus a Group Three at Dundalk.

He began this season conceding weight in the Palace House Stakes at Newmarket under Dettori and having been drawn on the wrong side of a rain-softened track, ran admirably to be beaten just a length and a half by Vadream.

“I was delighted with him this morning and should all go well between now and then, the King’s Stand is where we are going and hopefully Frankie is going to ride him,” said Ryan.

“We were umming and ahhing over whether we should go to Newmarket or Haydock first time out and I wanted one run before the King’s Stand.

“We went for Newmarket, despite him having to carry a penalty, because Haydock’s Temple Stakes is usually run on soft ground but it wasn’t this year.

“Obviously, with the penalty, the way the ground went and being drawn on the wrong side, he ended up running a big race but crucially it also gave him more time to get over the run than Haydock would have done.”

The King’s Stand went the way of Australia last year with Nature Strip and this year his compatriot Coolangatta is towards the head of the betting, but Ryan is unperturbed.

“We’re in the situation where we’ve got a lot more in our favour than most,” he said.

“He’s already proved he likes Ascot having won there before, we know he wants fast ground and it’s looking like it should be that and while he might not have won at this level yet, he’s won a Listed and a Group Three as well as at the Shergar Cup and those races can be very competitive.

“He’s tough and he’s sharpened his teeth now, he’s certainly earned his place in the race. He’s tough and deserves to take them on.

“Whether the opposition comes from Australia or Kathmandu, it doesn’t bother me, he always gives his best and given some fortune with the draw, I’m sure he’ll run a good race.”



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