THIS WEEKEND’S HIGHLIGHT is the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot today (4.30) which could in fact turn out to be the race of the year.
Only five go to post in this race which has been much maligned over the last number of years, but make no mistake – when the stalls open later at Ascot, the five that explode from the gates are as good a field as we have seen in any race in quite a while.
Four of the five are Group One winners and between the field they have won pretty much everything.
Workforce, last year’s English Derby and Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner, goes off favourite. Sir Michael Stoute’s colt was beaten last time out by Ballydoyle wonder-horse So You Think in last month’s Eclipse at Sandown, but it is believed by all the the extra quarter-mile suits this horse and it is why he heads the market.
However those with long memories will remember the Derby winner being humbled in this race last year when he finished only fifth of six horses, behind Harbinger.
Rewilding, the Godolphin horse, has beaten So You Think this season. That was at Royal Ascot, so form would suggest this colt should be top of the market and with Frankie Dettori on board at his favourite track he cannot be written off.
In trumping So You Think in the Prince Of Wales Stakes, Dettori received a ban for excessive use of the whip, and anyone who saw the race knows what a battle it was. However, Rewilding has still had a little more recovery time than Workforce and likes the extra trip also, so that has to be factored in.
With all this talk of So You Think, you would expect it to be in the field. But Aidan O’Brien has gone for St. Nicholas Abbey, the champion two-year-old that had a nightmare as a three-year-old.
After winning the Racing Post Trophy in 2009, it was suggested in racing circles that we might see two super horses following each other – Sea the Stars being the 2009 superstar. Let’s just say it didn’t materialise, but the chiefs in the Coolmore operation were not going to allow a horse of such potential bow out with a whimper, so kept him in training for this season.
The Montjeu colt has won his last two outings, the Ormonde Stakes at Chester and the Coronation Cup at Royal Ascot, both on firm ground, both over a mile and a half (the Ormonde was an extended mile and a half).
St Nicholas Abbey can still run a bit green and there is debate whether Joesph O’Brien is the best jockey for the job. As dad Aidan has proven often before, he knows best.
The interesting starter in this race has to be the John Gosden-trained Nathaniel. The three-year-old has had five starts and never finished worse than second, and those to Irish Derby winner Treasure Beach and horse of the year candidate Frankel, so he comes with a bit of form.
The son of Galileo’s two wins were against mediocre fields, but he won both well and has been improving all the time. His latest was over this course and distance in the King Edward VII stakes at Royal Ascot. However he is the only non-Group One winner in the field.
Dubussy is the second of Godolphin’s entries for this race, and don’t expect anything of the five-year-old, except to go to the front to set a pace.
Elsewhere at Ascot tomorrow, punters’ pet Hawkeyethenoo goes in the Betfair International Stakes at 3:50. He is up against another punters’ choice in Brae Hill for the seven furlong feature. This race is a bit of a lottery with 24 going to post, but these two still hold good value even if backed each way.
Meanwhile in Wexford tomorrow night, in the big race of the night, the Slaney Handicap has a couple of interesting runners. Midnight Soprano will be making her first appearance in a year and in fact won on her last outing at this exact meeting last year, while Bay Swallow won’t mind the step up in class and is lowest in the weights.
Nap of the day
Rewilding (10/3) to hold up form and keep Workforce at bay in the King George VI (Ascot, 16:30).
Each way
Tony Carroll’s Jordaura (Ascot, 13:30) is a battling gelding and has a 1-2-3-4-5 place in his last five races, all over either six or eight furlongs, all on standard or firm ground.
Carroll is an excellent trainer to watch for each ways, and with four places being paid and at 20/1, Jordaura is a good bet.