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King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes 2010 |
Herbert Thinks Harbinger Can Beat Two Derby Heroes
07/07/10
The big two, English Derby hero Workforce and stable companion Harbinger, unbeaten in three starts this season including last time in the Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot, remain in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes after yesterday’s scratching stage which was revealed today.
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Harry Herbert, the inspiration behind Highclere Thoroughbred Racing, owners of Harbinger, who is a 3-1 shot with Paddy Power, said: “He worked yesterday and just breezed, it wasn’t serious work, just Workforce leading him and easy conditioning exercise. He looked in great shape and he’s obviously as fit as a fiddle at the moment and physically you couldn’t wish for a horse to look better. I’d say the same about Workforce though!
“Harbinger is fine and very well and we haven’t made any jockey plans as yet. It will certainly be discussed over the next few days. At the moment we just don’t know – with Ryan Moore riding Workforce there’s no shortage of people who are around about. Sir Michael will lead on this and he’ll talk to me about it and hopefully we’ll have an answer within a week or so.
“Everything has gone very much according to plan since the Hardwicke – he’s in great form and couldn’t look better. The lovely lass – Marie – who looks after him says he feels fantastic and he certainly looked that yesterday. We’ll just keep everything crossed that he can stay in one piece for the next fortnight and a bit and can line up on the day and in the world of syndicate ownership, this is the ultimate dream to have a runner. Being second favourite at the moment is what it is all about and we’re really excited.
“The Hardwicke was an amazing day, albeit very nerve racking as he went in there a hot odds-on favourite. The idea of having a runner at Royal Ascot that’s odds on is an interesting one. He looked great that day and was immensely impressive and whatever anyone says, those were Group horses behind him. He stamped his authority in great style and thankfully ate up and came out of the race very well. And now it’s time to move on up to the Premier League and see if he can compete at Group 1 level and the King George seems like a good place to start.”
Asked if he thinks Harbinger can beat Workforce in the King George, Herbert responded: “I would say that certainly he can beat Workforce and we wouldn’t be running if we didn’t think that we can beat Workforce. Looking at him [Workforce] yesterday probably for the first time up close, he’s an immensely impressive horse, a very powerful animal but like all horses they have different styles of running.
“We know that Harbinger has good cruising speed and a real good turn of foot. We’d like to think that we’ll be able to use that and I’m sure he’ll show it at Ascot but it’s not just the two of them and there’s a few others as well and we’ll hope that we come off best. It’s great to be competing in such a prestigious race and actually to be competing against two Derby winners is what this is all about. Of course I think that we can beat them but we have immense respect and admiration for the two Derby winners.”
Workforce is 11-10 favourite for the King George with Paddy Power, while Irish Derby winner Cape Blanco is 5-1.
Paddy Power himself said: “So far in the Pretty Polly and the Eclipse, the older horses have come out on top. The King George is turning into a mouthwatering clash which should give us a lot more clues about the relative merits of the different generations.”
