John Gosden holds a significantly strong hand in Saturday's G1 Investec Derby at Epsom, with Golden Horn (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}) and Jack Hobbs (GB) (Halling) currently first and second favorites for the blue riband, but the trainer was keeping an eye on the possibly volatile weather forecast as he pondered the best option for the latter. Godolphin's acquisition was second to his stable companion in the G2 Dante S. at York May 14 and pleased in a spin around the Surrey venue during the “Breakfast with the Stars” morning, but the Clarehaven Stables conditioner does not want to see quick ground prevail for him. “I'll walk the track on Saturday morning,” Gosden said of the bay, who has drawn the “lucky” stall 10 which has provided the winner on seven occasions since 1986. “The ground is perfect right now, but we'll see what the weather does and whether they get a thunderstorm. I'm happy with all the horses.” If he makes the line-up, Jack Hobbs will be partnered by William Buick for the first time in a race after he became acquainted with him here the other day. “He did everything in hand and went round there very well, so I was very happy with him,” he said. ”
Buick was on Golden Horn at York, but was reluctant to separate the stable companions on merit. “Jack Hobbs may not have been the completely finished article in the Dante, even though Golden Horn showed he had the better turn-of-foot,” he added. “Jack Hobbs has taken a leap forward now and that has probably made a man of him. He galloped out very well to the line at York and I think they'll both stay. They are very classy and exciting horses and I'm aware that Golden Horn is the main danger, but if I was on him I'd be thinking that about Jack Hobbs too.” Godolphin took out their well-regarded Best of Times (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), but by far the most significant withdrawal on Thursday was Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum's Zawraq (Ire) (Shamardal). One of the leading protagonists had suffered a setback earlier in the week and connections of the Apr. 12 Listed Leopardstown 2000 Guineas Trial winner were forced to accept defeat in the race to make the line-up. Racing manager Angus Gold explained, “He did a bit of work this morning and moved beautifully under Pat Smullen, but by the time he got back to the yard he was definitely not right again. It's very bad timing.”
If draw statistics are taken at face value, Khalid Abdullah's Epicuris (GB) (Rail Link {GB}) has things against him exiting from stall one which has not housed a winner since Oath (Ire) (Fairy King) in 1999. Unbeaten at two and crowning his campaign in the G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud, the imposing homebred suffered a surprise reversal by Silverwave (Fr) (Silver Frost {Ire}) in the G3 Prix la Force at Longchamp Apr. 6 before refusing to enter the stalls for the G2 Prix Greffulhe last month. Behavorial specialist Nicolas Blondeau will be on hand to guide him in on Saturday, something which would not have been allowed under the French rules, and trainer Criquette Head-Maarek is hoping he can better the sixth placing of her only prior runner American Post (GB) 11 years ago. “There will be a parade and crowds at Epsom, but he would have to face that [at Chantilly] too,” she said. “He'll be with Blondeau for two days and he really helps calm him. Epicuris is very well-balanced and I think he'll handle Epsom.” Also with a poor record is stall two, which is where the May 7 G3 Chester Vase winner Hans Holbein (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}) will start from and Aidan O'Brien said of him, “He's a horse who looks like getting a mile and a half well and probably will get further in time and he wouldn't mind ease in the ground.”
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