Godolphin’s Jack Hobbs primed and able to take on Enable

Jockey William Buick celebrates winning the Dubai Sheema Classic aboard Jack Hobbs on Dubai World Cup night at the Meydan racecourse in March. (Reuters)

LONDON: The UAE’s Godolphin Racing has a cluster of contenders in the big-race meeting at Ascot on Saturday, with Jack Hobbs’ involvement in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes foremost among them all.
The John Gosden-trained 5-year-old finished down the field in eighth over 10 furlongs at Royal Ascot only last month.
However, with a return to the mile and a half distance and the expected ground in the plus column this time around, hopes are high for a much improved performance — and result — upon his reappearance in Berkshire.
“It is a brilliant time of the season, particularly when you have good rides in the big races,” explained jockey William Buick in his guest column on the Godolphin website.
“Jack Hobbs — my mount in this year’s King George — has an excellent chance, especially as he is coming back to a mile and a half on rain-softened ground.
“But we will have to produce our A-game to beat (the Saudi Prince Khalid Abdullah-owned) Enable, a dual-Oaks winners, who was impressive with wide-margin victories at Epsom and the Curragh.
“Jack Hobbs, an Irish Derby winner, showed what he can do at his top when he comfortably defeated a good field in the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic at Meydan on Dubai World Cup night in March.
“Next time out, it is fair to say he was uncomfortable on the ground when eighth to Highland Reel in the G1 Prince of Wales’ Stakes at Royal Ascot. It was too fast for him and he never let himself down on that ground.
“He has won five of his 11 races and has been placed in another four. He will have conditions to suit this time, but he must give 14lbs to Enable.
“It’s an exciting time of the season and I’m hoping to make the most of it.”
The day could get off to a very encouraging start for those clad in the royal blue silks as Buick saddles the Charlie Appleby-trained Spring Cosmos in the Group Three Princess Margaret Juddmonte Stakes over seven furlongs. Spring Cosmos is expected to be at the front of affairs alongside the likes of Dance Diva and Nyaleti.
Appleby and Buick also have a runner in the next — the one-mile Porsche Handicap — in the form of D’bai, although the top-weighted 3-year-old is somewhat less favored to prevail in a field containing in-form duo Century Dream and Pealer.
Emirati trainer Saeed bin Suroor’s Top Score isn’t perhaps fancied to live up to that lofty billing and name in the seven-furlong Gigaset International Stakes, although favoritism is hard to establish in a wide-open contest.
Being There should be there or thereabouts for Appleby and Buick in the seven-furlong Wooldridge Group Pat Eddery Stakes, while Royal Associate has every chance of going well in the Canisbay Bloodstock Handicap over a mile and a half.