Cracksman© Photo Healy Racing
John Gosden believes Investec Coronation Cup favourite Cracksman is a markedly different horse now to the one that finished third in last year’s Investec Derby.
Having made a winning return to action in the Prix Ganay at ParisLongchamp, the son of Frankel will now bid to complete a hat-trick of Group One wins and give Gosden his first victory in the race.
The victory of the Champion Stakes hero in France was given a timely boost on Saturday, with fourth-placed Rhododendron claiming a thrilling renewal of the Lockinge Stakes at Newbury.
Gosden said: “I’m very happy with the horse and he has done everything right for us.
“He went to ParisLongchamp about 85-90 per cent (fit). He has come on since then and we are very pleased with him.
“He is versatile between a mile and a quarter and a mile and a half, and we are looking forward to running him there.
“He has won over the track and he was third in the Derby, when he was probably lacking the maturity he had later in the year.
“He is a horse that has had to grow and mature into his frame and his ability.”
He added: “He won his only start nicely at Newmarket as a two-year-old, but to me he was the unfinished product when he ran in the Derby, and in the Irish Derby he had to go round the whole field.
“We gave him a holiday through the middle of the summer and he came back twice the horse he was. Like his father, he has a great stride on him and we are looking forward to running him a week on Friday.”
Charlie Appleby believes soft ground is no longer an essential requirement for dual Group One winner Hawkbill, who finished third in the Epsom showpiece 12 months ago.
Appleby said: “This was his target and always has been after the Sheema Classic.
“We are coming back here for the Coronation Cup for the starting point of his European season. We are happy with the way he looks and how he is training.
“He was third last year behind Highland Reel — I know we’ve got Cracksman to beat, but we are pleased with our fellow.
“He was always stamped as a soft-ground horse, but he ran well on quick ground in last year’s Coronation Cup and he put up a career-best performance on good ground in the Sheema Classic.”
Aidan O’Brien could give the five-year-old Idaho the chance to emulate his brother Highland Reel, after returning to winning ways last time out in the Ormonde Stakes at Chester.
The Ballydoyle trainer said: “We are thinking of running Idaho, and Yucatan is also a possible.
“We were very happy with Idaho in Chester and we think he is still progressing, even though he is at the age he is.”
