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Nijinsky’s King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes Win Celebrated With QIPCO Diamonds And Pearls Award On 50th Anniversary

Each year, to mark QIPCO's sponsorship of the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes, the winner of a vintage renewal is commemorated. To honor his illustrious achievements and victory in the race 50 years ago, Nijinsky became the latest recipient of the QIPCO Diamonds & Pearls award, won last year by Nashwan.

The son of Northern Dancer had already captured the 2000 Guineas, the Epsom Derby and the Irish Derby, and started at odds of 40-85 for Ascot's 1970 renewal. Nijinsky, the only 3-year-old in the field, cruised past his rivals on the bridle and defeated the previous year's Derby winner, Blakeney, to win the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes by an effortless two lengths.

Owned by Charles W. Engelhard Jr., trained by Vincent O'Brien and partnered by jockey Lester Piggott, Nijinsky went on to win the St Leger, and in doing so, became the first racehorse in 35 years to win the Triple Crown. A feat which no colt has matched since.

Following his impressive racing career, Nijinsky went on to stand at stud in the U.S. where he sired 155 stakes/group winners and remains the only sire to have the winner at the Kentucky and Epsom Derbies in the same year (1986 – Ferdinand & Sharastani). His notable progeny include King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes winners Ile de Bourbon (1978) and Lammtarra (1995).

Lester Piggott, retired jockey, said;

“I am delighted to receive the QIPCO Diamonds and Pearls award. Nijinsky was a wonderful horse and was unbeaten at the time. There was a lot of hype going into the King George – the opposition was decent, they were good horses, every one of them had a chance. You had all the best – obviously we thought he would win. He came to the other horses in the straight so easily, it was hard to believe really but he won in a canter. It was a wonderful win and was probably the best performance of his career.”

The post Nijinsky’s King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes Win Celebrated With QIPCO Diamonds And Pearls Award On 50th Anniversary appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Enable Has Come Forward Since Eclipse, Will Face Three Ballydoyle Rivals In Saturday’s King George

Superstar Enable will face three rivals in her bid to win an historic third King George VI and Queen Elizabeth QIPCO Stakes at Ascot on Saturday. The champion racemare began her 2020 campaign with a second-place finish to Ghaiyyath in the Group 1 Coral-Eclipse.

“I was very clear with everyone before Sandown that she had found it difficult to get to racing fitness since she is now a 6-year-old mare,” trainer John Gosden told racingpost.com. “She is a big powerful lady and certainly not of the neater, lighter-framed, type. She ran very well in the Eclipse and the race has had the desired effect of bringing her on.”

Ryan Moore will ride Japan, while Oisin Murphy picks up the mount on Anthony Van Dyck and William Buick will ride Sovereign.

Enable would become the only horse to win three King George VI and Queen Elizabeth QIPCO Stakes with herself (2017,2019), Swain (1997,1998) and Dahlia (1973,1974) all on two wins currently.

More history could be made as Enable's evergreen jockey Frankie Dettori bids to equal Lester Piggott's record of seven victories in the prestigious Group 1.

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TVG’s Weekend Coverage Features Racing From Ascot, Del Mar

On Saturday morning, international racing fans can tune into TVG, America's horse racing network, to watch champion Enable (GB) make a bid for a historic third win in the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth QIPCO Stakes (GI) from Ascot. The race is scheduled for 10:35 a.m. ET/7:35 a.m. PT.

TVG's Scott Hazelton will be covering the race live from his home in Kentucky. The King George VI & Queen Elizabeth QIPCO Stakes (GI) is part of the “Win and You're In” Breeders' Cup Challenge Series and the winner will earn an automatic berth in the Breeders' Cup Turf (GI). The 2020 Breeders' Cup will be held November 6-7 at Keeneland. Enable (GB), the heroine of the 2018 Breeders' Cup Turf (GI), won this race in 2017 and 2019. Trained by John Gosden with regular rider Frankie Dettori in the irons, the six-year-old mare is set to face three rivals from trainer Aidan O'Brien including multiple Group 1 winner Japan (GB).

TVG will be live on site at Del Mar covering a loaded weekend of racing featuring seven stakes races from Friday through Sunday including the $150,000 San Diego Handicap (GII), the $150,000 San Clemente Stakes (GII) and the $200,000 Eddie Read Stakes (GII). There will be expert analysis and exclusive interviews from Todd Schrupp, Mike Joyce and Joaquin Jamie alongside Britney Eurton and Simon Bray who will be contributing to the broadcast remotely. Del Mar has also added a card on Monday, July 27.

The San Diego Handicap (GII) will feature the return of 2019 Eclipse Award winner Maximum Security. The multiple Grade 1 winner will be making his first start since transferring to trainer Bob Baffert and will have Abel Cedillo in the irons for the first time. Maximum Security will face five rivals, including the 2019 TVG Pacific Classic (GI) champion Higher Power, in the 1 1/16 mile contest which is being used as a prep race for the $500,000 TVG Pacific Classic (GI) on August 22.

TVG will also be broadcasting racing from Gulfstream Park, Laurel Park, Monmouth Park and more all weekend.

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Max of Eight Contest King George as Enable Eyes Hat Trick

Prince Khalid Abdullah’s champion mare Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) is bidding to become the first horse to take three editions of the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S., as she is one of eight to stand their ground at the latest entry stage. She sustained only her second career loss with a 1 3/4 second when going for a three-peat in the G1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at ParisLongchamp in October and was the bridesmaid once again kicking off her 6-year-old campaign in Sandown’s G1 Coral-Eclipse S. behind Ghaiyyath (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) on July 5. The Ascot cornerstone also drew the Juddmonte colourbearer’s stablemate, fellow John Gosden trainee and MGSW Fanny Logan (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) who won the G2 Hardwicke S. at Royal Ascot in June.

Abdullah’s racing manager, Teddy Grimthorpe, said, “We’re very happy with Enable. Everything has been straightforward since the Eclipse and we think she’s come on for that run. We’re looking forward to Saturday.”

“These big races are not supposed to be easy to win,” added Grimthorpe. “It’s not going to be a very big field, obviously, but there are only so many horses at that level. It’s a shame there’s no 3-year-old in the race, but we’re just concentrating on our ourselves and Enable seems in good shape.”

The dual G1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner’s stiffest competition however hails from across the Irish Sea, as Aidan O’Brien saddles six for the Coolmore partners in the 1 1/2-mile feature. Star fillies Magic Wand (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and MG1SW Magical (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), second to Enable in the GI Breeders’ Cup Turf back in 2018, are both slated to take part. The former, a Group 1 winner in Australia, and first in the June 13 G2 Lanwades Stud S., was a last out fourth in the Coral-Eclipse. Magical warmed up for this with an easy 4 1/2-length win in the G1 Pretty Polly S. at The Curragh on June 28.

Highly regarded 2019 G1 Juddmonte Grand Prix de Paris and G1 Juddmonte International S. scorer Japan (GB) (Galileo {Ire}), third to Ghaiyyath and Enable in the Coral-Eclipse, returns for another crack at the top level after a fourth in the G1 Prince Of Wales’s S. at Royal Ascot on June 17. One of several other Classic winners from Rosegreen tapped for the King George is 2019 G1 Investec Derby hero Anthony Van Dyck (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), fifth in the Hardwicke, while last year’s G1 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby hero Sovereign (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) cuts back in trip after running third in the G3 Comer Group International Vintage Crop S. in his 4-year-old bow at The Curragh on June 27. Group 3 winner Sir Dragonet (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) completes the sextet.

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