King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes Preview

Can Nathaniel strike gold in the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes once more?

The King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes has been moved a week earlier on the Racing schedule so as to avoid a clash with the opening Saturday of the Olympics. A turnaround that means Nathaniel will be out on the course just some two weeks after his victory in the Group One Coral Eclipse Stakes. Trainer John Gosden is confident that the horse can manage the quick turn around “William Buick breezed him and I think it went really well. I expect the ground to be on the easy side, not heavy, and I think it would be wimpish not to run.” Nathaniel won this race in 2011, seeing off Workforce and St Nicholas Abbey, and will be in the mix to land it again.

St Nicholas Abbey is one of the nine rivals to Nathaniel this year. The Aidan O’Brien runner is 7/2 (sportingbet) third favourite to gain revenge this year. O’Brien runners have had a great time this year with the trainer picking up all four of the Classics which have been raced so far this season. The trainer also has a good record in this race training the winner three times previously. O’Brien also saddles Robin Hood, who is likely to do the pacemaking duties. The Sir Michael Stoute trained Sea Moon is 3/1 (general) second favourite. Sea Moon arrives here seeking a hat-trick after recent victories at Ascot and Goodwood. The Royal Ascot win was in the Hardwicke Stake and this was the same route of action that Stoute took with his last winner of this race, Harbinger.

The next three in the market are the foreign steeds Dunaden (7/1-Coral/william hill), Danedream (10/1-boylesports/ladbrokes/Coral) and Deep Brillante (16/1-general). Dunaden won the Melbourne Cup in 2011 and finished second to Sea Moon last time out at Ascot in the Hardwicke Stakes. Australian Craig Williams has been flown in especially to take the ride this time, with the horse having won the two previous under this jockey. Deep Brillante has done the bulk of Racing abroad (winning the Japanese Derby winner) and is an unknown factor, while Dandream is a German filly who arrives without much recent form. 2011 French Derby winner Reliable Man is priced at 20/1 (general), the Tom Dascombe trained Brown Panther (part owned by Michael Owen) runs and is a 33/1 (boylesports/Stan Coral) chance. St Ledger winner Masked Marvel is 50/1 (bet365) with the previously mentioned Robin Hood a 250/1 (general) no-hoper.

Also on Saturday (July 21st) is the International Handicap with Bonnie Brae (the winner of the recent Bunbury Cup) heading the market at Ascot. The David Elsworth trained runner is a 9/1 (general) shot. Recent Buckingham Palace Stakes winner Eton Forever is a 10/1 (general) chance as is Edinburgh Knight (general). The race also features last year’s winner Bronze Prince who is a 33/1 (Skybet) hope. The horse was sold by John Gosden to Michael Attwater after failing to run anywhere near that winning performance again and it would be a major shock to see it repeat the feats of 2011.

Sunday sees the running of the Irish Oaks at the Curragh. Great Heavens heads the market at 2/1 (general). The John Gosden runner is seeking a fourth straight victory with the last one coming at Haydock in July in the Lancashire Oaks. The closest challenge is likely to come from the Dermot Weld trained Princess Highway who is 9/4 (boylesports/BetVictor/william hill) and is seeking a fourth straight win.

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20/07/2012     © Frixo 2024