Hannon's colt ready to strike

The Theo Fennell Lennox Stakes made its debut in spectacular style at Glorious Goodwood last year with subsequent Group One winner Observatory's emphatic triumph and Tamburlaine can take out tomorrow's renewal.

High praise about this colt was all we heard from his trainer Richard Hannon right from his debut as a juvenile last year. Tamburlaine took three attempts to break his duck, yet may have matched the hype with a better-timed challenge in the Racing Post Trophy. But testing ground and Dilshaan's late run won that day.

The key 2,000 Guineas trials of the new spring brought victory for then-stablemate, King's Ironbridge, in the Craven Stakes and defeat for Tamburlaine in the Greenham. Undeterred, Hannon was proved right in the Newmarket classic itself, when Tamburlaine found only Golan too good. King's Ironbridgefinished 10th, in controversial-circumstances. Tamburlaine's progress has since become rather wayward - fifth in the Irish 2,000 Guineas behind Black Minnaloushe and seventh in the St James's Palace Stakes. The form of both races is rock solid, as the Sussex and Jersey Stakes results testify.

Tamburlaine may have been better tackling the Jersey at the Royal Meeting. A stiff mile has looked a touch too far for him on more than one occasion, so a fast-ground seven furlongs would be ideal.

Worry is the heavy rain forecast for tomorrow. Sticky ground was to blame for Tamburlaine's two seriously below-par efforts at Newbury (also poorly placed to challenge) and the Curragh this term. In that scenario, Munir would loom larger as a threat. This Barry Hillstrained colt left Tamburlaine toiling in the Greenham, but couldn't maintain superiority on firmer ground at Newmarket.

He swallowed the downgrade to Group Three class in the Jersey and, carrying a penalty, was unlucky to finish only seventh. Jockey Willie Supple was forced to switch sharply to the outside over two furlongs from home, yet his mount was making good headway until smacked across the nose by a rival's whip.

Munir must again shoulder a penalty for his early-doors Greenham win, but would be better equipped to deal with rain-softened ground. Valentino was a narrow second to Giant's Causeway in last year's St James's Palace Stakes and his fourth to Medicean in this year's Queen Anne at Royal Ascot was encouraging, short of room and not well placed to respond to the winner's decisive burst.

Many eyes will be on King's Ironbridge, removed from Hannon's yard amid accusations that race tactics in the 2,000 Guineas didn't have his best interests at heart. A short break may have revived him and this gutsy sort has place prospects for new handler, Brian Meehan.