King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes
We have a fascinating race in store as two of this season's brilliant three-year-olds take on their elders, and it is the Oaks winner Enable, who is the short priced favourite. She was excellent when accounting for the very warm favourite Rhododenron at Epsom, before winning as easily as she liked in the Irisk Oaks at the Curragh. She is clearly a top class filly and has an official rating of 122, however, she is untried on going with as much give as today, and I am willing to take her on with the chance that the softer conditions may blunt her enormous finishing speed.
John Gosden also saddles Jack Hobbs in this and it is without doubt that softer conditions will be of benefit to him. The ground was far too quick for him at Royal Ascot, but he was quite well fancied that day and the 2015 Irish Derby winner can be a lot more competitive today. If he can run back to his previous from prior to his serious pelvis injury, then he will be bang there and has an excellent chance. At a best price of 5/1, I think he is an excellent each way bet to nothing, as I find it extremely difficult to see him finishing outside of the first three.
The superb Highland Reel was a superbly gutsy winner at Royal Ascot, but I find it impossible to fancy him with today's underfoot conditions. He did run a good second to Dartmouth in the Hardwicke stakes last year on good to soft, however, I am certain it will blunt his natural speed and he will need all of that to see off his challengers in this.
Ulysses was a wondreful winner of the Coral Eclipse at Sandown, but his best trip is definitely over ten furlongs in my opinion and he isn't anywhere near as good a horse over today's distance. I don't expect the good to soft conditions to be too much of an inconvenience but I would be surprised if he was able to keep with some of his rivals inside the final couple of furlongs.
The Aiden O'Brien trained Idaho was an excellent winner of the Hardwicke stakes at Ascot, and is sure to be doing a lot of his best work towards the end. I have my reservations about whether he will be as good on the softer going, and this is a step up in terms of quality.
Today's selection
Jack Hobbs - 2 points each way @ 5/1