Facilities

THE GALLOPS

Harry Hannon, Richard's father, used to train up at Everleigh, where the historic grass gallops are as good as anywhere in the country, but there are no end of turf strips at both stables, and if they so wished they could work the horses somewhere different every day of the week.

Hannon jnr said:"We are spoilt for choice, and obviously we also have the all-weather gallops, which no trainer could be without these days.

"We have a seven-furlong polytrack, and the one-mile McArdle all-weather, which has a surface not dissimilar to polytrack, is relatively new, having replaced the woodchip the season before last. We did not get much change out of £400,000, but it has already paid for itself, with two Group 1 winners having been prepared on that gallop, in Indian Ink and Paco Boy.

"Last winter was the worst that even dad can remember, but we missed only one day because of the snow, and we also have the indoor school, which was invaluable during the freeze, and a couple of horse-walkers."

CAN'T BEAT YOUR OWN EYES

"Some trainers swear that they learn so much from weighing their horses, but dad has never had a set of scales on the premises, and I'd back his judgement against anyone."

Richard Hannon jnr was fiercely defensive on their policy, though he accepts that "everybody to their own." He added:"Dad insists that you cannot beat your own two eyes, which he feels act like a dial, and he would rather rely on what he sees first-hand than a kilo either way, and I have picked up so much watching him in action. He never misses a trick."

WE TRAVEL SOLO

The Hannons will travel horses in their own box 99% of the time. Obviously, it sometimes reduces costs to share, but, being away from Lambourn, they prefer to remain independent, and it also reduces the threat of catching any infection from 'outside' horses.

STARTING STALLS

We regularly put the younger horses through the stalls, so as to ensure that they get off on terms when they go to the races, but we have recently purchased a new set of gates, and the "boss" is "more than happy" with the way that they have been greeted by his equine team.

JOCKEYS:

Ryan Moore was champion last year and Richard Hughes finished second, so no wonder Richard Hannon feels that "we are incredibly lucky" to have two great guys on our side.

Hannon said:"People probably think I am biased, because Hughesie is my son-in-law, but I honestly feel that he is as good as there is. He rides out regularly, even on wet mornings in February, and he can tell us so much about an individual horse when he gets off. And there is nobody who rides Windsor better - he seems to know every blade of grass around there, and we have had a lot of luck on those Monday evening meetings.

"Now that he does not have the retainer with Khalid Abdullah, Hughesie is not being whisked away at the last minute, so he rides everything, though we still keep Ryan Moore pretty busy, too.

"Ryan grew up with us and he is part of the family. I was so pleased that he got the job as stable jockey to Sir Michael Stoute because he deserves it, but he still rides out for us whenever he can and, like Hughesie, he is great with the owners, and, though people claim that he is too quiet, what he does say is always worth listening to. He just gets fed up being asked stupid questions, and I don't blame him.

"Pat Dobbs is another invaluable member of the team, and he is here most mornings. I would never be afraid to use Dobbsy if neither Hughesie or Ryan were available, and I wish others would realise that he is as good as many of them and better than most.

"We also have Richard Smith, who is an excellent work-rider. Maybe he does not push himself enough, but I would recommend him to anyone, while Dane O'Neill has ridden winners for us for many years and is still very much in the squad. He enjoyed a great all-weather season.

"I don't have many runners in apprentice races, but we have two good lads in Charles Eddery and Patrick Hills. Both are bred for the job, and I am very pleased with their progress."

THE STAFF

The fact that some of the staff have been with Richard since he started is testimony to how the Hannons run a happy ship, with Steve Knight (Everleigh) and Tony Gorman (Herridge) the much-respected lieutenants who keep things ticking over.

Hannon said:"We have lads and lasses from every corner of the globe, and, while it might be stretching the truth to suggest that the only other person in the yard who speaks English is Richard jnr, we do have to use plenty of sign language to get the message across on the gallops.

FATHER AND SON

One day Richard Hannon snr will hand over the licence to Richard jnr, but the father and son combination is working brilliantly, so the thinking between them is "if it ain't broke, then why fix it."

Hannon jnr, who is very much in the same boat as Charlie Hills, said:"We get on great, and the owners are getting two trainers for the price of one, so until dad is ready to hand over the reins I am happy to be assistant.

"I have brought a lot of new owners into the yard and dad is not afraid to leave me in charge. When we have runners at two meetings he goes to one and I'll do the other, and over the last three years I have learned plenty watching him on the gallops every morning. I must be getting better - he stayed in Barbados for three weeks last winter. Normally he is walking his box and itching to get home after 10 days."