1m4f (1m3f211y) King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes (Group 1) (British Champions Series) (Class 1)(3yo+)
I can’t remember a better King George lineup and everyone down to last year’s winner, 8/1 shot Pyledriver, can win this. He’ll put up a bold show but won’t get his optimum conditions and I don’t think last year’s renewal was anywhere near as deep. The Derby this year was run in an excellent time and sectionals confirmed the winner, Auguste Rodin, to be top class on fast ground. He was a bit disappointing next time out in the Irish Derby and he’s got a bad draw here in stall 11 with softer conditions and I reckon he can be taken on. Derby second KING OF STEEL is an automatic bet for me for a number of reasons. He’s by my favourite sire Wootton Bassett, he’s a course and distance winner, should be peaking on his third start this season, he’s drawn well and he’s an enormous unit of a horse who gets a whopping 11lb from the older colts and geldings. The whole point of that allowance is to give less developed younger horses a chance in these races but when you get one well ahead of their age group – as Adayar was two years ago – the allowance is almost unfair. If there’s an Arc winner in this field I reckon it’s Emily Upjohn and her form this season is absolutely top class, but given her tendency to be a bit slowly away, her blowout in this race last year and the fact her price has gone, I can leave her alone at the 4/1 mark conceding 8lb to the selection.
1pt win King Of Steel @5/1, 15:40 Ascot, Saturday
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