Hobbs hoping lightning can strike twice in Cesarewitch
The Minehead handler claimed the two-mile-two-furlong showpiece with top hurdler Detroit City last year and he is planning to unleash Arkle Trophy runner-up Fair Along this time.
The five-year-old has already run once on the level in 2007, finishing a creditable second in the Chester Cup, prompting William Hill to make him their 9-2 joint-favourite along with Samurai Way.
“It’s a competitive race and there’s lots of runners but he’s joint-favourite at the moment, he seems in good form so we’re very hopeful,” said Hobbs.
“They are very different (horses). Detroit City stays massively well but I think Fair Along stays well. He ran well in the Chester Cup, he kept going well so it shouldn’t be a problem.
“Fair Along’s last run was on the Flat whereas Detroit City had not run on the Flat for a long time.
“He didn’t get a very good break out of the stalls in the Chester Cup – he would want to be reasonably handy so you would hope he gets out of the stalls OK and is fairly well placed.”
Fair Along proved to be one of last season’s top two-mile novice chasers, winning Grade Two contests at both Cheltenham and Sandown, in easy conditions.
However, Hobbs does not believe cut in the ground is a prerequisite for his runner.
“I don’t think (the ground) matters a lot. He will go on fast and he will cope with some give in the ground – he wouldn’t want very soft,” he told At The Races.
Luca Cumani would also prefer good ground for joint market leader Samurai Way.
The five-year-old has not finished out of the first two in six starts this term but will be trying the Cesarewitch trip for the first time at the weekend.
“Samurai Way is in good form and took his race at Ascot very well. He has worked well since and I am very happy with him,” Cumani told www.newmarketracecourses.co.uk
“I hope the ground will be good or good to soft – I would prefer it not to be a slog because we are going two extra furlongs with him.”
The Paul Webber-trained Full House is another who would want quick ground as he teams up with Frankie Dettori for the first time.
“He is an intended runner as long as it stays dry enough,” said Webber.
“Any rain that is going to fall is supposed to come today, so we are just hoping there’s as little as possible as he does want good ground or faster.
“Frankie was going to ride him at Ascot a couple of weeks ago but we had to miss out due to the ground so we asked him to ride again.
“He certainly is a good booking.”
totesport.com Cesarewitch betting:
Sponsors: 9-2 Samurai Way, 11-2 Fair Along, 8-1 Leg Spinner, Macorville, 12-1 Sunley Peace, 14-1 Enjoy The Moment, Inchnadamph, 16-1 Al Eile, Caracciola, Secret Ploy, Som Tala, Whispering Death, 20-1 bar.
William Hill: 9-2 Fair Along, Samurai Way, 8-1 Macorville, 10-1 Leg Spinner, 12-1 Inchnadamph, Sunley Peace, 14-1 Arc Bleu, Enjoy The Moment, Top The Charts, 16-1 Bar Al Eile, Alambic, Burntoakboy, Secret Ploy, Som Tala, Whispering Death, 20-1 bar.
Coral: 4-1 Samurai Way, 5-1 Fair Along, 8-1 Leg Spinner, 9-1 Macorville, 12-1 Enjoy The Moment, Sunley Peace, 14-1 Inchnadamph, Whispering Death, 16-1 Al Eile, Secret Ploy, Som Tala, 20-1 bar.
