Libranno seeks Lennox glory

Libranno: Better than ever in 2012

Richard Hannon is looking to win his third Betfair Lennox Stakes in five years at Glorious Goodwood tomorrow with his stable stalwart Libranno.

Fourth behind Strong Suit 12 months ago, Libranno has bounced right back to his best by winning his last two races at Salisbury and Newmarket.

Hannon could have run last year's winner but he will now head to Deauville for the Prix Maurice de Gheest instead.

"We might have higher rated horses in the yard than Libranno, but I doubt if we have any tougher," Hannon said on his website.

"He was only beaten two lengths by Strong Suit in this race last year and he went back there in the autumn and won the Supreme Stakes.

"He seems better than ever this season and you could not fail to have been impressed with the way he won both the Cathedral Stakes at Salisbury and the Criterion at Newmarket.

"He goes on any ground and I know he won't let us down."

Three-year-olds have a fantastic record in the race having won five of the last eight renewals but the only representative from the Classic generation is Bryan Smart's northern raider Foxtrot Romeo.

He finished fourth in the Mill Reef at two but has shown top-level form this season in two runs.

He finished second in the Irish 2000 Guineas as an unconsidered 33-1 shot on his seasonal bow and showed that was no fluke by being beaten only four lengths in the St James's Palace Stakes.

"I've been absolutely over the moon with him this season,'' said Smart.

"He's been in fantastic form since Ascot and I'm really looking forward to the race.

"I've been very pleased with him and I'm sure he'll run well.''

Edinburgh Knight steps back into Pattern company after a near-miss in the valuable International Stakes.

An official rating of 109 suggests he has every right to be competing in the best races and trainer Paul D'Arcy believes he is only just reaching his peak.

However, D'Arcy does have concerns that it could become a tactical affair.

"He was hampered coming out of the stalls at Ascot and got stopped in his run over a furlong out, but was only beaten by a fast-finishing horse on the other side of the course," said D'Arcy.

"He keeps hitting the crossbar, which is frustrating, but he is running well. I said to the owners early in his career that he would not be a proper racehorse until he was five.

"He has run before at Goodwood, in last year's Stewards' Cup over six furlongs. He used to go flat out in his races which is why he was sprinting but we worked with him and he now settles. He just gets a mile but is suited by seven furlongs.

"My main worry is that it is going to be a bit of a tactical race, with little or no pace."

Majestic Myles was a decisive winner of a Listed race at Chester last time out and will be aiming to perform better than when seventh in this last year.

His trainer Richard Fahey said: "He's so tough and genuine and you always have a chance when he runs.

"He's back up to his highest ever mark and he's earned it.

"He ran in this last year having won the same race at Chester but he's a lot stronger this season and more consistent.

"The faster the ground the better for him. It was soft at Chester but they let him have an easy lead and he got the run of the race so it's hard to say if it was his best performance.

"He's in great form."

Sir Henry Cecil's Chachamaidee drops back down to seven furlongs having appeared to not quite get home over a mile in the Windsor Forest at Ascot, William Haggas' Firebeam steps into Group Two company for the first time and Roger Charlton's veteran Mac Love completes a tightly-matched field.