Canford Cliffs (horse)

Canford Cliffs
Racing silks of the Heffer Syndicate
Sire	Tagula
Grandsire	Taufan
Dam	Mrs Marsh
Damsire	Marju
Sex	Stallion
Foaled	8 February 2007
Country	Ireland
Colour	Bay
Breeder	S & S Hubbard Rodwell
Owner	Heffer Syndicate Michael Tabor Derick Smith
Trainer	Richard Hannon, Sr.
Record	11: 7-2-2
Earnings	£951,724
Major wins
Coventry Stakes (2009) Irish 2,000 Guineas (2010) St. James's Palace Stakes (2010) Sussex Stakes (2010) Lockinge Stakes (2011) Queen Anne Stakes (2011)

Canford Cliffs (foaled 8 February 2007) is an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse who was trained by Richard Hannon, Sr.. He is a bay stallion by Tagula out of Mrs Marsh and was ridden by Richard Hughes in all his races.

Canford Cliffs started his racing career in a maiden at Newbury and won easily by seven lengths. This performance made him the 11/8 favourite for the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot. He was near the front from the start and quickened clear with two furlongs to go. He won easily by six lengths from Xtension. Canford Cliffs then went to France for the Prix Morny. Starting odds on, he could only finish third behind Arcano and Special Duty.

He started his three-year-old season in the Greenham Stakes and was beaten by his stablemate Dick Turpin. He started at 12/1 in the 2000 Guineas, with champion two-year-old St Nicholas Abbey the even money favourite. After worries that he would not stay the mile, he was held up by jockey Richard Hughes. After pulling hard in the early stages he moved through the field to finish third, with 33/1 outsider Makfi winning. Canford Cliffs then went to Ireland for the Irish 2000 Guineas. He won the race comfortably by three lengths from Free Judgement. He then went to Royal Ascot for the St. James's Palace Stakes. He started the 11/4 joint favourite, with the two horses that had finished ahead of him in the season, Makfi and Dick Turpin, also starting. He was held up near the rear in the race and came through to win by one length from Dick Turpin. In his final start of the season Canford Cliffs took on older horses for the first time in the Sussex Stakes, where he beat Rip Van Winkle by a neck.