Eleven For King George, Ascot Now Soft

Eleven high-quality runners will make up one of the greatest renewals of the G1 King George VI And Queen Elizabeth II Qipco S. in recent memory on Saturday, with Desert Crown (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) the biggest missing name among them. Saeed Suhail's troubled 2022 Derby hero's leg infection means that the keenly-anticipated clash of the last two Blue Riband winners in the Ascot monument is cruelly denied, while the three other withdrawals disappointingly include the sole French challenger Simca Mille (Ire) (Tamayuz {GB}), whose chance was put paid to by the 17mm of rain which fell overnight.

Aidan O'Brien removed two of his back-up entries Broome (Ire) (Australia {GB}) and Adelaide River (Ire) (Australia {GB}), leaving four from the stable headed by the dual Derby hero Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) under Ryan Moore. As far as his draw is concerned, it was far from bad news for connections with the race's key 3-year-old in the widest stall. Ascot's renowned bias for middle to high numbers over this mile-and-a-half trip is even more pronounced on ground as easy as looks certain to prevail for Saturday's behemoth contest. There have been very few King Georges with double-figure fields of late, but it is notable that Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}), Poet's Word (Ire) (Poet's Voice {GB}) and Postponed (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) were all posted wide in years when there were more than six runners.

Ascot's heavy overnight rain turned the ground officially to soft on Thursday and with the prospect of more scattered showers to interrupt any drying effect, this year's renewal could be tough going for some but not for the likes of Shadwell's Hukum (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}). Not best drawn in four, the 6-year-old full-brother to Baaeed (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) could nevertheless start favourite as the least likely of the race's big contenders to be inconvenienced by easy conditions. Jockey Jim Crowley is happy with the ground, but said, “He's in good form and I just want good-to-soft or good, no one wants heavy for any horse,” he said.

Hukum is next to Amo Racing's Derby runner-up and G2 King Edward VII S. winner and other 3-year-old presence King Of Steel (Wootton Bassett {GB}) in three, while the G1 Coronation Cup one-two Emily Upjohn (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and Westover (GB) (Frankel {GB}) fared better in eight and 10, respectively. Ballydoyle's quartet includes the G1 Irish Champion S. and G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup hero Luxembourg (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) in stall one, with Seamie Heffernan reunited with him for the first time since the 2021 G2 Beresford S., while Adam Kirby has been booked for Point Lonsdale (Ire) (Australia {GB}) in stall five. He is next to last year's winner Pyledriver (GB) (Harbour Watch {Ire}) in the middle in six, with Hamish (GB) (Motivator {GB}) in seven. In a twist, Desert Crown's regular rider Richard Kingscote, who was due to be replaced by William Buick on the subsequently-withdrawn Stoute luminary, has been booked for the Haggas's veteran mud-lover.

King Of Steel's owner Kia Joorabchian is relishing taking part in such a deep contest. “This is going to be one of the best races for centuries,” he said. “He's been fantastic, but I hope the ground doesn't get too heavy and we'll see a much more realistic race if it's not. He runs on both types of ground and for a big horse is light on his feet and loves his racing. He's still three, so whatever happens at the weekend he has a long way to go and the end target is the Breeders' Cup.”

Clerk of the Course Chris Stickels is expecting a slight firming up of conditions and said, “There is a chance of a passing shower–a light shower today and an occasional shower possible on both Friday and Saturday–but we are not talking about much volume of rainfall, so I expect conditions to improve a little, given a breezy and warmer forecast, with temperatures between 21C (70F) and 24C (75F).”

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Stott Labels King George ‘Race Of The Season’ And Puts Faith In King Of Steel

Kevin Stott has billed Saturday's King George VI And Queen Elizabeth QIPCO S. as the race of the season so far and backed his mount King Of Steel (Wootton Bassett {GB}) to exact revenge on his Derby conqueror Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}).

However, the jockey warned that the Ascot showpiece is far from a two-horse race, and described being a part of such a spectacle as incredibly exciting. 

King Of Steel finished just a half a length behind Auguste Rodin at huge odds of 66-1 in the G1 Derby. The dashing grey has since run out an impressive winner of the G2 King Edward VII S. at Royal Ascot and Stott says he couldn't be happier with the Roger Varian-trained colt ahead of Saturday's big race. 

“It's probably the Flat race of the season so far,” Stott said on Tuesday. “You've got all the best horses in there–proven ones and up and coming ones. If it's a 12 or 15-runner field then it's going to be really, really exciting. There's not long left now, he did a nice piece of work this morning and it's all systems go.”

Stott added, “It's by no means a two-horse race. There are some very high quality horses in there and especially if we are going to have ease in the ground, there are a lot of horses with very good form on slower ground.

“First and second in the Derby going at it again for the first time since the Derby is obviously a massive thing for everyone.

“You don't know when you have so many good horses pitched against each other, it's exciting and it's very open. Auguste Rodin and King Of Steel are getting a bit of weight from the other horses as they are only three and the others are older and more experienced.”

Stott was visibly disappointed after King Of Steel's Derby defeat, feeling he could have won had he timed his challenge differently, but having had time to reflect, he is more accepting of how the race panned out.

He said, “I still look at the replay now and again from the Derby and go over it again and again. I've got to the stage now where I wouldn't change anything that I did, we just got run down by the better horse on the day.

“I had no pressure on me, I was just riding him to run well, to see what we had, to see if the homework was backing up in a race.

“Between the two and the three [furlong] pole I was in front by two-and-a-bit lengths and the next thing you know I was screaming for the finish line.

“Unfortunately, we just got run down by a very good horse on the day, hopefully we can turn the form around but we have to, first of all, beat some other very good horses in the race.

“It's not just a race between the two 3-year-olds, but I like to think that if it does come down to a battle again from the furlong pole, then hopefully our fella will pull it out.”

He added, “I've got a lot of faith in the horse, but then again Aidan O'Brien is the master of the world that we live in and even though Auguste Rodin's win in the Irish Derby wasn't as visually flattering as the English Derby, he is probably one of the nicest horses that Aidan has trained. Just to be part of a race like this and to ride a horse of this calibre is very exciting.”

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Wootton Bassett’s King Of Steel Dominates The King Edward VII

He's as big as it gets among top-class thoroughbreds, but Amo Racing's King Of Steel (Wootton Bassett {GB}–Eldacar {GB}, by Verglas {Ire}) showed for the second time this month that he has grace in abundance as he stormed to glory in Friday's G2 King Edward VII S. Denied only by Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in a dramatic finale to the Derby, the imposing grey was at risk of coming back too quickly but his odds of 11-10 reflected the confidence in Roger Varian not to make that particular error.

In the event, Kevin Stott faced as tricky a tactical quandary as Chris Hayes had earlier on the card on Tahiyra (Ire) with the pace notably slow and the exuberant favourite needing anchoring at the back. It takes a true class act to circle a KEVII field already quickening, but that was what King Of Steel had looked at Epsom and he duly confirmed that impression with a 11.54 split to two out where he seized control. Chased by Continuous (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}) from there, he lugged right to the rail but stayed powering on to beat Ballydoyle's representative by 3 1/2 lengths. Derby also-ran Artistic Star (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) was another 2 1/2 lengths behind in third.

“They didn't go fast and he was a bit keen–I couldn't get him to drop it until halfway and so I was a little bit nervous but in a matter of strides he was in front and then was just lengthening,” commented Stott, who was enjoying his breakthrough moment at Royal Ascot. “He could easily go back to ten–he has plenty of speed and is so quick on his feet for a big horse.”

 

“He has a blue eye on one side and you have to be nice and relaxed with him, because he might be a tiny bit blind on that side,” his rider added. “You can see how big he is and, if he stays in training next year and fills into this big frame, you don't know how good he could be. It's very exciting for me and for Kia to have such a good horse.”

Varian has another group 1 target in mind now. “It is a relief, as when they run so big in the Derby you want them to back it up,” he said. “He's got such a great constitution and we went on the signs he was giving us, which were great. He's a super horse and so agile. It is very satisfying that he confirmed today what he did in the Derby. We'd like to go to the Grand Prix de Paris, but a lot can change with horses so let's see how he is tomorrow.”

Pedigree Notes

King Of Steel is the last foal out of Eldacar, who died from foaling complications after producing the King Edward VII winner. She is a granddaughter of the Listed Prix Yacowlef winner and G3 Prix du Calvados-placed Seralia (GB) (Royal Academy). One of Lady O'Reilly's many successful broodmares, she produced a trio of black-type performers including the G3 Prix de Psyche winner Serisia (Fr) (Exit To Nowhere) who was in turn responsible for the G1 Chipping Norton S. and G1 Ranvet S.-winning Australian champion miler Contributer (Ire) (High Chaparral {Ire}). A half to Exit To Nowhere's G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud winner Shaka (GB), she is also the ancestress of Le Havre's multiple group-placed Sotteville (Fr) and Crisolles (Fr) and the Listed Prix de la Californie scorer and G3 Prix Texanita third Straight Right (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}). Another family member, the G3 Prix d'Arenberg winner Sorciere (Ire) (Orpen), is the dam of Thursday's surprise Buckingham Palace S. winner Witch Hunter (Fr) also by Siyouni.

Friday, Royal Ascot, Britain
KING EDWARD VII S.-G2, £250,000, Ascot, 6-23, 3yo, c/g, 11f 211yT, 2:35.30, g/f.
1–KING OF STEEL, 128, c, 3, by Wootton Bassett (GB)
1st Dam: Eldacar (GB), by Verglas (Ire)
2nd Dam: Seracina (GB), by Nashwan
3rd Dam: Seralia (GB), by Royal Academy
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. ($200,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP). O-Amo Racing Ltd; B-Bonne Chance Farm LLC (KY); T-Roger Varian; J-Kevin Stott. £141,775. Lifetime Record: G1SP-Eng, 4-2-1-0, $602,398. Werk Nick Rating: B. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Continuous (Jpn), 128, c, 3, Heart's Cry (Jpn)–Fluff (Ire), by Galileo (Ire). O-D Smith, Mrs J Magnier, M Tabor & Westerberg; B-Wynatt, Chelston Ireland & Orpendale Bloodstock (JPN); T-Aidan O'Brien. £53,750.
3–Artistic Star (Ire), 128, c, 3, Galileo (Ire)–Nechita (Aus), by Fastnet Rock (Aus). 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. O-J C Smith; B-Coolmore (IRE); T-Ralph Beckett. £26,900.
Margins: 3HF, 2HF, 2. Odds: 1.10, 9.00, 7.50.
Also Ran: Dubai Mile (Ire), Arrest (Ire), Relentless Voyager (GB).

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Derby Glory For Deep Impact’s Auguste Rodin

Bouncing back from his disappointment in the 2000 Guineas, TDN Rising Star Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}–Rhododendron {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}) conquered Epsom's undulations to carry off a ninth G1 Betfred Derby for Aidan O'Brien. Sent off at 9-2 as the punters dallied over this year's favourite, the G1 Futurity Trophy winner was kept back from the early action by Ryan Moore worse than mid-division. Launched wide as the 66-1 shot King Of Steel (Wootton Bassett {GB}) cut loose approaching two out, the bay took until the last 100 yards to wear down Amo Racing's seasonal debutante but forged ahead late on for a half-length success.

There was a 4 3/4-length gap between the Roger Varian-trained runner-up, who had trailed Auguste Rodin by nearly 10 lengths when last seen at Doncaster, and White Birch (GB) (Ulysses {Ire}) with the unlucky-in-running Sprewell (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}) beaten another 1 3/4 lengths in fourth. Predictably, Frankie's final Derby ride Arrest (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) was sent off the 4-1 favourite, but after racing prominently could only manage 10th. The winning time of 2:33.88 was 1/10 second away from that recorded by Emily Upjohn (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) in Friday's G1 Coronation Cup and almost three seconds faster than the Oaks.

“He's totally unique,” the master of Ballydoyle commented after witnessing the completion of the great turnaround. “All the people in Coolmore have made this happen–it's all credit to them. He came with a massive reputation as a beautiful horse, but he kept stepping up to all the markers all the way which is very unusual. He's out of one of the greatest Galileo mares by the greatest stallion ever in Japan.”

 

“Ryan actually said he'd have preferred a lot stronger pace there and he had to quicken twice,” O'Brien added. “Everything fell against him in the Guineas, but he came out of it great which was a massive thing and every day in his work he was just getting better and more and more confident. Ryan gave him an incredible ride–he was so cool, as he knew the pressure was on him but he had a free hand going out.”

“It was Ryan who rode him last February when he was a 2-year-old and had said he was very special, so you can imagine what he was like then,” O'Brien concluded. “His movement has always been spectacular–he has such an economical way of going and is very different. We always felt he was the most special horse we have had at Ballydoyle. These type of horses come here and if they're good enough, we often have a look at the Irish Derby but the lads make all those decisions and all the options are open to him.”

Introduced over seven furlongs at The Curragh a year and two days before his Blue Riband heroics, Auguste Rodin had looked desperately unlucky to miss out on a debut win as he met serious trouble in running against the subsequent G2 Beresford S. winner Crypto Force (GB) (Time Test {GB}). Handed his TDN Rising Star badge at Naas a month later, he proved that award to be justified with wins in Leopardstown's G2 Champions Juvenile S. and Doncaster's Futurity and entered the 2000 Guineas surrounded by all the clamour and hype that Triple Crown talk generates.

In the event, the Newmarket Classic descended quickly into calamity for the Rosegreen contingent, but the past experience of the likes of Power (GB) and One Cool Cat served as a reminder that this stable's class acts can very quickly regain kudos following a dismal display there. Seven days after the fire within fellow Guineas flop Little Big Bear (Ire) (No Nay Never) was successfully rekindled at Haydock, it was Auguste Rodin's turn to provide a personal renaissance at the track that is the most unforgiving of any weakness.

If luck was against Auguste Rodin at Newmarket, it was on his side here as he was handed the famous stall 10 which housed Friday's Oaks winner Soul Sister (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) and from which Shahrastani, Reference Point (GB), Nashwan, Quest For Fame (GB), Generous (Ire), Galileo (Ire), Sir Percy (GB), Ruler Of The World (Ire) and Masar (Ire) all emerged. Settled back down the field as his stablemates Adelaide River (Ire) (Australia {GB}) and San Antonio (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) took over from Arrest and Frankie, the eventual winner was able to coast throughout an uneventful first mile and ended up in the Soul Sister position out wide and out of trouble entering the straight.

As the obligatory scrimmaging took place to his inner passing three out, with the runners still tanking from the downhill section onto the crazy camber, Sprewell was the one to hit the wall as happens virtually every year with Shane Foley finding the door abruptly shut. Either side of Jessie Harrington's stricken colt, Ryan Moore was going through the gears while Kevin Stott somehow managed to launch the enormous King Of Steel through the tight spaces and into the clear.

A colt the size of the runner-up should have been compromised by this terrain, but King Of Steel proved surprisingly athletic and nimble as he skipped away from the pack and his only serious pursuer two out. If Stott's Derby dream was alive and kicking for over a furlong, it was dying as Moore arrived alongside with his inimitable drive. Whether the last 100 yards was about Auguste Rodin's superiority or King Of Steel's lack of match practice will only be known when the pair encounter each other again, but this was the day of Ballydoyle's beau ideal who avenged the defeat of his dam in the 2017 Oaks.

Ryan Moore, who was garnering a third Derby, said, “We landed in a smooth spot and I was always confident I had them covered. It turned in to a bit of a dash and he was a bit babyish, but I just had to get into him in the last furlong there and he responded very gamely. He's done that quite cosily, I think.” Paying tribute to the training performance, he added, “He's the only man that could do it. I've seen him get horses back. There have been horses that have run bad in the Guineas and have come back like Roderic O'Connor and even Qualify ran bad in a Guineas and came and won an Oaks. Aidan can just do things.”

Roger Varian said of the runner-up, “He ran a terrific race, but I'm gutted really. I'm delighted with the way he behaved and his performance and I think he's a good one, but this is a bittersweet moment. Credit to the winning team and credit to mine, as he came here in great shape.” Stott added, “There are a few emotions as you hit the front in the Derby and I'm kicking myself a bit as to whether I went to the front too early. Then again, the fact that he hasn't had a run this year might have caught him out in the last 50 yards. We were beaten by a very good horse and there are better things to come I'm sure.”

George Murphy said of White Birch, whose antics at the start proved at least some of his undoing, “He just hesitated again at the gates and got himself into a difficult position, but ran a blinder and Colin [Keane] gave him a great ride considering how it played out early on. He galloped all the way to the line, so if all goes well I'd say the Irish Derby will probably be the plan. We're going to have to try and work on his starting and it's going to have to improve–he's not worried about it, he just gets a bit excited more than anything and we're over the moon just to have a horse like him.”

Pedigree Notes

Auguste Rodin, who is one of his remarkable sire's 59 top-level winners, is the first foal out of the five-times group 1-winning champion Rhododendron who was able to land a Lockinge at a mile and beat all bar Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) over this course and distance. This is one of the best pedigrees anywhere, with the second dam the excellent Halfway To Heaven (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) who captured three at this level including the Irish 1000 Guineas and who also provided connections with Galileo's outstanding Magical (Ire), the seven-times group 1 winner.

Halfway To Heaven is out of the multiple group-winning sprinter supreme Cassandra Go (Ire) (Indian Ridge {Ire}), whose other black-type winners include the G3 Abernant S. and G3 Sandown Sprint S. scorer Tickled Pink (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) and the G3 Summer S. winner Theann (GB) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire). Tickled Pink produced the stable's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf winner Victoria Road (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}), while Theann is responsible for Galileo's GI First Lady S. and GI Rodeo S. heroine Photo Call (Ire) and the G2 Richmond S.-winning first-season sire Land Force (Ire). Next up from Rhododendron is a colt foal by Dubawi (Ire).

Saturday, Epsom, Britain
BETFRED DERBY-G1, £1,561,950, Epsom, 6-3, 3yo, 12f 6yT, 2:33.88, g/f.
1–AUGUSTE RODIN (IRE), 128, c, 3, by Deep Impact (Jpn)
     1st Dam: Rhododendron (Ire) (G1SW-Fr, MG1SW-Eng, GSW & G1SP-Ire, GISP-US, $1,786,763), by Galileo (Ire)
     2nd Dam: Halfway To Heaven (Ire), by Pivotal (GB)
     3rd Dam: Cassandra Go (Ire), by Indian Ridge (Ire)
TDN Rising Star. O-M Tabor/D Smith/Mrs J Magnier/Westerberg; B-Coolmore (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Ryan Moore. £885,782. Lifetime Record: GSW-Ire, 6-4-1-0, $235,895. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–King Of Steel, 128, c, 3, Wootton Bassett (GB)–Eldacar (GB), by Verglas (Ire).
1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE, 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. ($200,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP). O-Amo Racing Limited; B-BCF Services LLC (Bonne Chance Farm LLC) (KY); T-Roger Varian. £335,819.
3–White Birch (GB), 128, c, 3, Ulysses (Ire)–Diagnostic (GB), by Dutch Art (GB).
1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. (75,000gns Wlg '20 TATFOA; 48,000gns RNA Ylg '21 TATOCT). O-Mrs C C Regalado-Gonzalez; B-Cheveley Park Stud Limited (GB); T-John Joseph Murphy. £168,066.
Margins: HF, 4 3/4, 1 3/4. Odds: 4.50, 66.00, 12.00.
Also Ran: Sprewell (Ire), The Foxes (Ire), Waipiro (Ire), Artistic Star (Ire), Adelaide River (Ire), Dubai Mile (Ire), Arrest (Ire), San Antonio (Ire), Passenger, Dear My Friend (GB), Military Order (Ire).

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