Connections of Canford Cliffs believe he is unlikely to be inconvenienced by going round a bend for the first time in Ascot's St James's Palace Stakes.Last year's Coventry Stakes winner finally lived up to the hype when running out a ready winner of the Irish 2000 Guineas.
He has ground to make up on his Newmarket conqueror Makfi and stablemate Dick Turpin, who has beaten him twice already this season, but Richard Hannon jnr, the trainer's son and assistant, is feeling bullish.
"He's in very good form and he's come out of the Irish race very well," he said.
"I wouldn't have thought going round a bend will bother him, he's very straightforward. He has ducked left on occasions but he's very straightforward generally.
"They went a very good gallop in Ireland and he was able to just get a nice tow off the leaders. The way he won, he won it so well, he never looked as if he was going to be beaten. He was very impressive and it definitely suited him being held up.
"He came home so well at Newmarket I was a little bit disappointed he didn't win that day. He'd had a prep run and there was no issue with the trip so it was maybe the dip that beat him.
"We are taking on the winner again but we'll still fancy him."
Having finished just in front of Canford Cliffs at Newmarket in second, Dick Turpin then filled the same spot in France behind subsequent impressive French Derby winner Lope De Vega.
Hannon added on At The Races: "You've got to respect him, he's done absolutely nothing wrong and when you look at the way that horse won the French Derby, there was no shame in being beaten by him. He's suffered a bit by being in Canford Cliffs' shadow but he's a very, very good horse."
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