Cracker Jack

With Golden Horn (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}) on temporary rest from public duty, Jack Hobbs (GB) (Halling) has been handed the baton to run for the honor of the all-conquering John Gosden stable in Saturday’s G1 Qipco Champion S. at Ascot. Godolphin’s acquisition was perhaps less of the finished article than his esteemed barnmate when comprehensively beaten into second in the G2 Dante S. at York May 14 and in the June 6 G1 Epsom Derby, but a five-length success in the G1 Irish Derby at The Curragh three weeks after the blue riband demonstrated how much class he possesses in his own right. Following his summer break, the still lightly-raced bay bounded back into action when winning Kempton’s G3 September S. over a mile and a half Sept. 5 before stepping aside for Golden Horn in the Arc. “We deliberately freshened him up after the Irish Derby. He’s a big, rangy colt that didn’t want a lot of hard racing through the summer,” Gosden explained. “Any horse that goes on a Classic programme, they’re really on the go from Feb. 1, so he’d done enough by the time he got to the end of June. I was pleased with his comeback at Kempton. It was a nice race and a nice day out for him. He has a lot of tactical speed and his father was best at a mile and a quarter.” For William Buick, the race represents a key moment in his new partnership with Godolphin, and he added, “This is a massive race and Champions Day is one of the biggest days in our calendar. It’s been a fantastic year winning the Irish Derby and Dubai World Cup, and the Champions S. is the last big race of the season. It is a race that is very competitive and I’ve got respect for a number of other horses in the race, but they certainly have him to beat. He is a horse that has come forward in every run this season and is now at his peak. The drop back to a mile and a quarter won’t be a problem, as he is a quick horse and has a great turn of foot. He is much wiser and stronger than he was in the Dante.”

In a renewal short on the kind of showcase horses it was revamped to attract, ‘TDN Rising Star’ Found (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) is one who could capitalize after a troubled trip when ninth in the G1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp 13 days ago. Second to Golden Horn in the G1 Irish Champion S. at Leopardstown previously Sept. 12, Michael Tabor’s highly regarded filly is not far from the very top, and Aidan O’Brien is happy to pitch her in against the colts again. “She ran a very good race the last day and just didn’t get much luck in the race,”

he said. “She seems to handle most types of ground.” Also from Ireland is Newtown Anner Stud Farm’s Fascinating Rock (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), who would have been a bit-player only had he not looked a reformed character when winning the 12-furlong G3 KPMG Enterprise S. by six lengths at Leopardstown last time Sept. 12, while France has the Andre Fabre representative Vadamos (Fr) (Monsun {Ger}). While the Haras de Saint-Pair colorbearer has much to find on the form of his sole black-type win in Baden-Baden’s G2 Oettingen-Rennen over a mile Sept. 3, it is undeniable that his trainer has had him earmarked for an occasion of this status for some time.

“Vadamos has been in good form since his Baden-Baden win,” Fabre said. “He has been working well, that is why we have let him take his chance on Saturday. This is a big step up in class, but he goes well enough at home to suggest that he should be competitive. He has only run twice for me, so I still have no idea what his favored ground might be. His breeding suggests that this step-up to a mile and a quarter will be no problem, and he won over a mile and half in 2014.”

Bidding to emulate the success of his full-brother Farhh (GB) two years ago is Godolphin’s other runner Racing History (GB) (Pivotal {GB}), who beat a clutch of rivals–including Fascinating Rock–who have since advertised the form in the G3 Winter Hill S. over this trip at Windsor last time Aug. 29. That was only his fourth start and first in black-type company, so he is open to large amounts of improvement. “Racing History is working well, is in good form and is ready to go,” Saeed bin Suroor commented. “He’s taking on better horses–top horses–on Saturday, but we give him a real chance. He has won three consecutive races and won very well last time in the Winter Hill S., but the key for him is that we are looking for rain–the softer the better for him. Farhh was a 5-year-old when he won it, so was older and stronger. Racing History is only three, but is improving all the time and will stay in training next season.”

David Simcock has no fears about stepping Fitri Hay’s The Corsican (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) back up in class after his latest win in the G3 Arc Trial over 11 furlongs at Newbury last time Sept. 19 and said, “The fact that we’re improving and the fact he does handle ground on the soft side–we’re just quietly confident in the horse. We like the horse a lot, I think he’s getting quicker and he’s improving all the time. I think Jack Hobbs is the stand-out horse and I think he’s a fair way above the majority of the field.”