BY most people’s standards, Richard Hannon is having another successful year. However, the master of East Everleigh sets very high standards and it came a something of a relief to him when Yafta and Ginger Nut completed a big race double at Newbury on Saturday.

The Group 3 bet365 Hackwood Stakes seemed to offer Roger Charlton’s Projection an ideal opportunity after several good efforts in top-class company. He was made 11/4 favourite and came through to establish a narrow lead at the furlong pole. However, Yafta, a three-year-old enjoying a 5lb pull, worried him out of it in a flat-out battle to the line, scoring by a head.

Sir Michael Stoute’s Dream Of Dreams was right behind in third.

“He has just got better and better and is a lovely horse to have around,” Hannon said as Jim Crowley returned on Sheikh Hamdan’s 7/1 chance. “Richard Hills said this would be the right race for him. I thought it looked a hot contest but he got it right. I’d always thought next year might be his year and that seven furlongs would suit but he’ll be put in all the Group 1 sprints now.”

GINGER NUT WINS

Normal service was resumed in the very valuable Weatherbys Super Sprint when Hannon’s filly Ginger Nut (16/1) finished fast to get the better of Bryan Smart’s 50/1 maiden Moojim by a neck.

The winner, a daughter of Sir Prancealot, had broken her duck at the fifth time of asking at Windsor.

Hannon junior won the race in 2014 with Tiggy Wiggy and his father was on the mark on seven occasions after one of his owners suggested a two-year-old race to attract cheaply and shrewdly bought yearlings.

“We were a bit disappointed early on because she was going off too quick but Harry Bentley got her tucked in today,” the trainer said. “From the moment we bought her she didn’t have an owner but then Chris and Jenny Powell came in and it’s great news because they are great supporters of ours.

“As for the future there’s that race at Ayr (the Firth of Clyde) and then she could come back here for the St Hugh’s Stakes.”

Third place on Saturday went to 9/2 joint-favourite Kinks.

No doubt all the principals were relieved when John Quinn’s Signora Cabello, a country mile ahead on official ratings, opted for Sunday’s Group 2 Prix Robert Papin instead and won narrowly. The prize money was approximately half of the Newbury purse but connections will not be worried about that.