Canford Cliffs Bows Out of Racing

Whilst most pundits expected Frankel to defeat Canford Cliffs in the Sussex Stakes last week, no-one expected it to be Canford Cliffs last race either and it would appear that the reason for him hanging badly in that final half furlong was due to an injury sustained.

The sad news revealed on Thursday that the four year old will be retired from racing immediately due to a near-fore pastern injury he sustained in the race at Goodwood. The injury, which was almost certainly responsible for the drift that very nearly cost him second place, is quite a rare one but one which could have caused serious damage had they have kept him in training.

He will now be wound down slowly before going to stud at Coolmore leaving behind a legacy of brilliance that no racing fan will forget and one that fans will hope will continue in the future with his progeny.

According to his trainer, Richard Hanno, Canford Cliffs showed outstanding speed even as a yearling and it was no surprise to Hannon and his regular jockey, Richard Hughes, that he became the horse that he did.

If one thinks back to his first outing as a two year old they will be reminded of just what talent he always had. In that race, a quality six furlong maiden at Newbury in 2009, he demolished the field by seven lengths, a performance that immediately sent out that he had clear Classic credentials.

His second race, the Group Two Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot put him permanently on the map after he sensationally bolted up, winning by six lengths from a high class field and earned him favouritism for the 2000 Guineas in 2010.

For reasons that have never been made fully known, ‘Canford’ disappointed next time, finishing only third in the Group One Prix Morny at Deauville when a red hot odds on favourite. Winner that day was the Brian Meehan trained, Arcano, who himself was completing a three race unbeaten juvenile season.

Canford Cliffs and Arcano were to meet again in the Group Three, Greenham Stakes, over seven furlongs at Newbury, their first race as three year olds the following April where they would be joined by Canford Cliffs stable companion, Dick Turpin. This time Canford finished seven lengths in front of Arcano but much to the sable’s amazement, he was touched off by a ½ length by Dick Turpin.

A third successive defeat followed next time out in the 2000 Guineas, where the French trained Mafki proved too good and where once again Dick Turpin in second place finished ½ length clear of his more highly rated stablemate, who had to settle for third place.

That defeat however appears now to have been the trigger that set Canford on his way to greatness as he then went on to win five successive Group One races over a mile, including the Irish 1000 Guineas where he had the cream of the Irish three year old milers well beaten.

He followed that up with a magnificent success in the ST James Palace Stakes at the 2010 Royal Meeting where he at last got the better of Dick Turpin who was a length behind in second place. The other notable scalp earned that day was that of Mafki who could only finish in seventh place.

One more run awaited him as a three year old and that came in the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood which he won by mowing down Rip Van Winkle with a sublime show of class in the last half furlong.

As a four year old, Canford Cliffs won the Lockinge Stakes at Newbury in May this year, confirming his superiority over Dick Turpin who was well behind on this occasion in fourth place. He followed that up with arguably his best ever performance and his last win, by defeating the brilliant mare, Goldikova, in the Queen Anne Stakes at the 2011 Royal meeting. That was his third win in three years at Royal Ascot and came when he was second favourite. Goldikova had won 13 Group One races including three in the Breeders Cup Mile but her defeat at Ascot effectively crowned Canford Cliffs as the best older Miler in the world. However, that crown is now been lost when he went down to Frankel but he lost nothing in defeat and could well have signed off having been beaten by one of the greatest horses of all time in the Sir Henry Cecil trained Colt Frankel, who is unbeaten in eight starts.