Flagship is on course for Tingle Creek four-timer
The eight-year-old will bid for an amazing fourth win in the race, having completed a hat-trick of victories in the contest on his seasonal debut 12 months ago.
And Hobbs yesterday reported his charge to be in flying form ahead of his return to action.
In the past, Flagship Uberalles has worked exclusively on grass for Hobbs, having been unsuited to the woodchip all-weather gallop at his Somerset base.
But the installation of a new Polytrack gallop over the summer has enabled the trainer to improve and alter the training regime for his stable star.
‘‘On the woodchip he used to suffer from a little bit of ‘wheel-spin’ which seemed to aggravate his back a bit,’’ he said. ‘‘He still has problems with his back - you can see from behind that he is not quite correct. But he enjoys coming up the Polytrack and we can even use portable fences and school him on it.
‘‘We’ve had such a dry October that we would have had problems working him on the grass so the Polytrack has really come in useful already.
‘‘He came in the middle of July and was cantering through September and October. I think he is going very well.
‘‘My head girl, who rides him every day, says he is stronger than ever this season.’’
‘‘He’ll have a decent gallop tomorrow then a couple of days easy and maybe a trip to the beach for a paddle. Then we’ll see how he is and decide whether he needs another piece of work.
‘‘I weighed him yesterday and he was 507 kilos. Last year when he won at Sandown he was 508 so I’d say he’s fit enough.’’
Meanwhile Hobbs’ Gunther McBride passed a fitness test with flying colours yesterday morning and heads for Saturday’s Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Newbury.
The gelding, the winner of last year’s Racing Post Chase, will be ridden by Richard Johnson as he joins stablemate Ever Blessed in the £105,000 contest.
Concerns over a recent bout of setfast, a consequence of a leg injury picked up in his last race, had led to Hobbs expressing doubts over whether his charge would be ready in time to line up at Newbury.
But after Gunther McBride worked three times up Hobbs’ five-furlong woodchip gallop yesterday morning, the prognosis was looking considerably improved.
‘‘Yesterday it was only 50-50 but now I would say he is 95 per cent likely to run,’’ reported Hobbs.
‘‘I am very relieved that he seems fine and his tracheal wash was okay.’’
Hobbs was responsible for the winner of last year’s race, What’s Up Boys, and is hopeful that the stable has a good chance of completing back-to-back victories.
‘‘He is at the right end of the handicap and hopefully he is still an improving horse,’’ he said.
