GOSDEN IN A QUANDARY OVER ENABLE
THE King George and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot on Saturday is bubbling along nicely as 16 stood their ground at the latest confirmation stage.
The battle between the generations and sexes is on the cards.
John Gosden has Jack Hobbs, runner-up in the 2015 Derby, Maverick Wave and this year’s dual Oaks heroine Enable but the decision regarding participation of the last-named is still to be made.
“There was a big gap between the Oaks and the Irish Oaks so it’s not like she’s been over raced this season,” said Gosden.
“We’ll be making the decision on Wednesday morning with the declarations coming on Thursday.
“She goes on most ground. She’s won on good to firm and good and her father Nathaniel went in the soft and her broodmare sire Sadler’s Wells obviously handled that too, so, I think she will be alright.
“Nobody wants to see it go very soft, heavy, we don’t want to see that but some give in the ground shouldn’t bother her at all.
“Jack Hobbs will also be left in and the ground is looking like it will be on the easy side which will suit him better than at Royal Ascot where it was riding very fast.
“Obviously he has no problem with the mile and a quarter, he’s run brilliantly twice in autumn ground over that trip, but ® the mile and a half around there with some cut in the ground is certainly right up his street.”
Enable heads the market just ahead of last year’s winner Highland Reel but there must be a question mark over him taking his chance if the ground remains on the easy side.
On his last two outings with some cut, he has finished seventh which included last place behind Jack Hobbs in Dubai.
His trainer Aidan O’Brien has stated that he intends to run him along with his brother Idaho.
“They both came out of Ascot well and we’re happy with them,” said O’Brien.
“They’ll have bits to do over the next few days and, if all goes well, the two of them will run.
“We have a few others entered and I’m not sure whether any will run but Highland Reel and Idaho will be our main runners.”
The Charlie Appleby pair Frontiersman and Hawkbill are in the mix along with Eclipse hero Ulysses but the last-named’s stablemate, Dartmouth, owned by The Queen, is out.
There is no French raider this year but Sixties Song has been sent from Argentina to take his chance.
He is dual Group One winner in South America and at the moment is in the very capable of hands of Jane Chapple-Hyam at her yard in Newmarket.
The bookies are not expecting him to figure with quotes of 66-1.