Postponed© Photo Healy Racing
Roger Varian is quietly confident Postponed will bounce back to his brilliant best for his defence of the Dubai Sheema Classic at Meydan.
The six-year-old won the Dubai City Of Gold and this Group One last March before claiming further riches on home soil in the Coronation Cup at Epsom and the Juddmonte International at York.
Postponed suffered his first reverse of the campaign when only fifth in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and he was also beaten on his return from a break in the Dubai City Of Gold three weeks ago.
But Varian feels his stable star is now back at the top of his game.
He said: "I'm very happy with how he came out of his last run and from what I've seen of him in the last few days, he looks like the Postponed of old.
"He's tightened up for his run and I'm glad we got that run in. He's been in Dubai five weeks now and I think the weather has done him the power of good.
"I know he's a year older now, but the evidence of the last few days suggests he is back close to his best.
"He was a little bit rusty in the City Of Gold, there's no getting away from that. But with him being a year older, he probably just wasn't as ready for that as he was last year.
"Certainly I'm much happier with him now than I was three weeks ago. He looks tremendous."
Postponed stars in a stellar field of seven runners.
Aidan O'Brien is double-handed with last year's King George and Breeders' Cup Turf hero Highland Reel and Yorkshire Oaks-winning stablemate Seventh Heaven.
O'Brien's son Donnacha told the Dubai Racing Channel: "Highland Reel seems in great form and I think his form improved the whole way through last year.
"He won in America and was probably a little bit unlucky in Hong Kong. We're hopeful he'll run a very big race.
"Seventh Heaven was a dual Oaks winner last year and she's a very high-class filly. She could be very exciting for this year.
"She's in great form at home and sometimes fillies take less work than the colts. She's definitely ready to start off."
Ryan Moore rides Highland Reel, and told Betfair: "I saw my horse was available at 5-1 earlier in the week and, at his best, it would take a good one to beat him.
"When he gets on the lead in these mile-and-a-half races he is difficult to stop, stall three is fine, and 9-2 is still probably a hell of a price, but the one doubt in my mind is that he wasn't at his best when fourth in this race last season.
"And we know what a long campaign he probably has ahead of him again. Jack Hobbs has prospects stepping back up to a mile and a half but I can certainly make a fair case for Seventh Heaven at the prices.
"I see she is 9-1, which surprised me. We couldn't get competitive from off the pace behind Queen's Trust in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Santa Anita but the combination of a smaller field, and a bigger and wider track, here and a return to a mile and a half could really suit her."
The John Gosden-trained Jack Hobbs was a brilliant winner of the Irish Derby in 2015, but endured a troublesome campaign last season.
The son of Halling suffered injury in the Jockey Club Stakes, but performed admirably on his only subsequent start when third in the Champion Stakes at Ascot.
Gosden said: "Jack Hobbs arrived in Dubai on Saturday morning after a good journey. We are happy with him. This is his game - he won an Irish Derby on a galloping track over 12 furlongs.
"He needs to improve and I hope he can - it is a small, but elite field.
"He got injured in his first race last May and did not return until the Champion Stakes but ran a blinder to be third to the best three-year-old in Europe in Almanzor, and the Arc winner Found.
"This is his trip. He seems in good order right now, but we are perfectly aware we are third or fourth in the ratings.
"He is well and in good form."
Jack Hobbs is one of two Godolphin representatives along with Saeed bin Suroor's Prize Money, who beat Postponed by a neck in the City Of Gold.
"Prize Money is improving all the time and won nicely last time," Bin Suroor told www.godolphin.com.
"A mile and a half is his best trip, although this is another tough contest.
"If he can get into a nice position in the race, I hope that he can run well again."
Japanese challenger Sounds Of Earth and Salem bin Ghadayer's outsider Earnshaw complete the line-up.
