Champagne Stakes favoured over Curragh clash for leading Richard Hannon juvenile Rosallion

Richard Hannon will wait to take on the leading Ballydoyle colts with promising juvenile Rosallion after he ruled the Listed winner out of the Goffs Vincent O'Brien National Stakes at the Curragh. 

The son of Blue Point was entered for Sunday week's Group 1 contest, where he would have faced Aidan O'Brien's Superlative Stakes winner City Of Troy, but will instead head for the Betfred Champagne Stakes on September 16.

The Doncaster race will be just the third start for Rosallion, who scored on his debut at Newbury before impressing in the Listed Pat Eddery Stakes at Ascot with a four-length success. Hannon believes a step into Group 2 company next will be a more steady progression for the improving colt. 

"We've decided to go to the Champagne Stakes with Rosallion," Hannon said. "It's a nice flat track for him and we didn't want to chuck him in a Group 1 race just yet. We want to give him a bit more experience before that. 

"We always thought he was a good horse but we were really taken with the improvement he showed after his win at Newbury. He went on to win very well at Ascot and looks really smart."

Hannon hopes further improvement this autumn will carry Rosallion to the Darley Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket on October 14.

The colt is the leading British hope alongside Prix Morny winner Vandeek at 6-1 but could face another of O'Brien's star two-year-olds in Henry Longfellow, who landed the Futurity Stakes 12 days ago. 

Hannon said: "He's working very well and we've been delighted with him, so while the Dewhurst is the end goal, we'll take one race at a time.

"If he passes the test in the Champagne Stakes then it's absolutely a race to look at among others. It would be a nice target to reach and I'm hoping he's that kind of calibre."

Despite five entries, Hannon will be without a runner at next weekend's Irish Champions Festival, with Try Line and La Guarida not due to travel for the Tattersalls Ireland Super Auction Sale Stakes and Moyglare Stud Stakes entry Serene Seraph set to take a more gradual route into Group company.

The filly, who is also by Blue Point, was a general 16-1 for the Group 1 race on Sunday week but will compete at novice level instead after only one run when third to Carla's Way at Doncaster in June. 

"I think primarily we'd be looking at seven furlongs with her," Hannon said. "She's had a nice break and will be out in the next two or three weeks in a good novice contest somewhere." 

Also set to miss the Curragh showpiece is Vintage Stakes winner Haatem, who was entered alongside Rosallion in the National but disappointed last week when beating only one home in the Gimcrack at York. 

"York was the only disappointing run he's had all year and he might have had a tough race, so we'll give him a nice break," Hannon said. "Hopefully he'll head to the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere in Paris on Arc day, when he would likely get soft ground."

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