Sky Lantern (right) has reportedly lost 20kg since her Royal Ascot run

 PICTURE: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

Hannon to check ground for Sky Lantern

 RELATED LINKS

The highlight of day two of the July festival looks a fascinating prospect with Royal Ascot winners Integral and Rizeena lying in wait for Sky Lantern, who finished a controversial second place in the race 12 months ago.

 

She was carried left by the narrow winner Elusive Kate and the result was only confirmed after an appeal to the BHA, but this time it is the weather posing the problem.

Speaking on Thursday afternoon, Hannon said: “If it’s soft ground she won’t run. I won’t take her out until the morning, if she is taken out, but I would say, because of how quick the ground was, if it’s a dry night it could easily be good ground tomorrow.

“She has to come first. She’s already a four-time Group 1 winner, so owes us nothing, but we think there could be more to come.”

The day one action at Newmarket started on ground described as good to firm, good in places, but following persistent rain throughout the day it ended as good to soft.

However, clerk of the course Michael Prosser is not expecting a repeat on day two. He said: “We may get another shower tonight but if we don’t it could have dried back to good ground tomorrow when it is supposed to be dry with temperatures a bit higher than today.”

Should she get the go-ahead Sky Lantern, who has reportedly lost 20kg since her comeback run, will be aiming to improve on her fifth at Royal Ascot, where she was well beaten by the reopposing Integral.

Hannon, who has earmarked the Prix Rothschild at Deauville on August 3 as a possible alternative engagement, added: “We were not surprised she did not win at Royal Ascot as she is built like a colt and, as with last year, she was always going to need her first run.

“Integral is a very good filly, but we enjoy a five-pound pull and we hope she might be able to reverse the Duke of Cambridge  form.”