Lilbourne Lad Lands Railway Stakes | Thebigtip

Richard Hannon looks to have another smart juvenile on his hands after Lilbourne Lad got the better of a tremendous tussle with Hard As Nails to land the Group 2 Dubai Duty Free Railway Stakes at the Curragh and in the process threw down a marker for next year’s 2000 Guineas.
 
Never far from the pace under Richard Hughes, Lilbourne Lad (9/4) joined issue just inside the two furlong from home marker as locally trained Tough As Nails (the 15/8f) lived up to his name, refusing to give in until the Hannon-trained colt got the better of him in the last 50 yards to score by three-quarters-of-a-length, with more than four lengths back to the third placed French Emperor. Those placing online horse bets would have been impressed.

A winner on his debut at Doncaster in April, the Acclamation colt then failed by only a head to beat the useful B Fifty Two when odds-on for a Newmarket novice stakes, before taking the Listed Alfred Nobel Rochester at Naas last month when routing Snowflake Dancer by six-lengths. Clearly suited by the Irish air, the 80,000 guineas yearling purchase is now being talked of as a live contender for next season’s 2000 Guineas at Newmarket and bookmakers reacted to this weekend’s latest success by trimming him from a best priced 33/1, to as short as 16/1 with some firms in the ante-post market. Those looking for horse racing tips will be keeping a close eye on him.
 
No firm plans have been announced yet as to where Lilbourne Lad will be seen next, but a return trip to Ireland for the prestigious Group 1 Keeneland Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh on August 7 must be a possibility with the colt already entered for the race that has often thrown up contenders for the following season’s classic events, including last year’s winner Zoffany, who so nearly defeated Frankel in the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot a couple of weeks ago.