Jack Hobbs, named in honour of one of England’s greatest cricketers, is the horse to beat in Saturday’s Champion Stakes at Ascot as trainer John Gosden seeks to add further shine to his golden season.
The £1.3 million ($2 million, 1.76 million euros) ten furlong prize is one of the showpieces of Champions Day where in 2012 the mighty Frankel signed off his racing career in style.
Jack Hobbs is the 5-4 ante-post favourite for Saturday’s edition on the strength of his performances in claiming the Irish Derby and his eye-catching second to stablemate Golden Horn in the Epsom Derby.
He runs two weeks after Golden Horn landed Gosden’s first Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp under a masterful ride from Frankie Dettori.
While Gosden believes Jack Hobbs has the speed to prevail at Ascot, he expressed concern Thursday over his wide draw.
“It’s a disappointing draw. For those that know the mile and a quarter start at Ascot, the bend comes up very quickly and you are naturally forced wide,” he told The Racing Post.
“One blessing is that our pacemaker Maverick Wave is drawn next door to Jack Hobbs in 13. One thing’s for sure Jack won’t get boxed in! I’ll leave the tactics to William Buick.”
Earlier in the week Gosden had spoken enthusiastically about his colt’s prospects.
“I feel he is happy over both 1m2f and 1m4f and he has a lot of tactical speed. It’s going to ride on the slow side of good, but that won’t be a problem for him.”
Among his dozen rivals are Aidan O’Brien’s classy filly Found, seeking to bounce back after an unlucky ninth in the Arc, and Vadamos.
The four-year-old’s trainer, French maestro Andre Fabre, suggested his charge bore all the hallmarks of a champion-in-waiting when landing a warm-up in Germany last month.
France’s perennial champion trainer also has a live interest in the Group One Queen Elizabeth II Stakes with Territories.
He was runner-up to fast ground specialist Gleneagles in the English 2,000 Guineas with the latter’s trainer O’Brien keeping a watchful eye on the weather as unsuitably soft going would lead him to pull out his dual classic winner in favour of the Breeders Cup Classic.
O’Brien will walk the course Friday before making a final decision over his star miler’s participation.
While Territories has a clear chance it’s another French contender Solow who heads the betting at 5-6.
Freddie Head’s Royal Ascot and Glorious Goodwood winner has waltzed away with his last eight races, and will be tough to topple, says his handler.
Head is hoping to restore family pride after Golden Horn denied his sister Criquette’s Treve a third consecutive Arc at the start of the month.
“He is working well and I find him in his best form,” said Head recently.
“He knows the course, I think in the Queen Elizabeth we’ll get a bit of soft ground and he will be hard to beat.”