Talented colt Hobart Jones has the chance to return to winning form this at Ascot weekend after being included in the 2014 Sir Ernest Lee-Steere Classic Field.
Ben Melham has been booked to ride Liberty’s Gem in the Sir Ernest Lee-Steere Classic at Ascot this weekend. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia
Hobart Jones started his racing career with two professional wins at Ascot in December of last year and started his autumn preparation with third place finishes in both the Listed Supremacy Stakes (1100m) on March 1 and the Listed Perth Stakes (1100m) on March 15 before he recorded the biggest race win of his career to date in the Group 2 Karrakatta Plate (1200m) on March 29.
The So Secret colt was sent to the spelling paddock after he finished third behind Prentice in the Group 3 WA Sires Produce Stakes (1400m) on April 12 and he returned to the races with a close third in the Super Saturday Handicap (1200m) before he was slightly disappointing when sixth in the Listed Placid Ark Stakes (1200m).
Liberty’s Gem recorded a narrow win in the Placid Ark Stakes and the lightly-raced gelding will have the chance to record a second straight win at black type level after he was included in the Sir Ernest Lee-Steere Classic field.
The Statue Of Liberty gelding made his racing debut with a narrow win at Belmont Park on September 27 and suffered a surprise loss at the same venue on October 11, but led all the way to take out the Placid Ark Stakes.
Cuanzo missed the Group 2 Western Australian Guineas (1600m) due to a severe hind-leg infection, but has recovered from the setback and is set to return to racing in the Sir Ernest Lee-Steere Classic this weekend.
The Oratorio gelding recorded the first race win of his spring preparation when he took out the Seacorp Handicap (1100m) at Ascot on October 25 and was far from disgraced when he finished third behind leading Western Australian Guineas contenders Disposition and Rommel in the Listed Fairetha Stakes (1400m) at Ascot on November 8.
Outlaw Pete was well-backed in the lead-up to the WA Guineas and finished a credible fourth, but will be dropping back in trip this weekend for the Sir Ernest Lee-Steere Classic.
The 2014 Sir Ernest Lee-Steere Classic field is rounded out by Malibu Style (barrier six), Maximus Mak (barrier ten), Mississippian (barrier eight), Stocks (barrier one), Prete A Partir (barrier four) and Furious Dame (barrier five).
