KING GEORGE VI STAKES
Saturday 27th July, 3:40pm
Auguste Rodin @ 5/4
Rebel’s Romance @ 7/2
Bluestocking @ 9/2
Middle Earth @ 9/1
Luxembourg @ 10/1
view odds
*prices correct at time of writing.
THE RACE
The King George VI and Queen Elizabeth QIPCO Stakes at Ascot (3-45) is billed as a high-summer middle-distance highlight, a race that has played its part in the making of many of the sport’s greats.
In 2024, the powerhouses of Coolmore (with a trio including Auguste Rodin) and Godolphin (with globetrotting Rebel’s Romance) saddle some of their outstanding talents, and opponents like Juddmonte’s Bluestocking, the sole three-year-old Sunway and France’s outsider Goliath – trying to play David – ensure an intriguing betting proposition.
THE MARKET
Auguste Rodin was at his brilliant-best over two-furlongs shorter in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes having put his big-race show back on the road when runner-up in the Tattersalls Gold Cup. The Coolmore star should relish the extra quarter-mile but of course there’s always a banana skin health warning in his case.
One of those was in this last year and another in the Sheema Classic when finishing last well-behind Rebel’s Romance as Godolphin’s six-year-old made it three wins in a row – starting with a confidence booster at Kempton – and the 2022 Breeders’ Cup Turf winner has since added to that in Hong Kong.
The filly Bluestocking takes on the boys here having added a Group One trophy to her portfolio on (her favoured) yielding-to-soft in Ireland’s Pretty Polly when wearing down Emily Upjohn; Bluestocking is 2/2 this year.
Luxembourg finished fourth twelve months ago and comes to Ascot off the back of getting the run of the race when successful in the Coronation Cup. A step-up to this distance in the Irish Derby produced better from Sunway when finishing second in a bunch finish just behind Los Angeles and just in front of Ambiente Friendly, though there’s a chance even further may suit. His run will clearly add to the assessment of absent three-year-olds.
The stamina-laden Middle Earth (third) and the progressive Goliath (runner-up) filled the placings behind Isle Of Jura in the Hardwicke at Ascot, while Dubai Honour’s most recent victory was likely his best.
THE WINNER
Rebel’s Romance credentials are just so solid – as ever my friends, what do you reckon?
CORN’S QUARTET
Staying at Ascot, Sirona (3-35) has been proverbially knocking on the door since joining David Menuisier, with fine efforts at Lingfield and Haydock before performing with distinction in the scrum behind Porta Fortuna over this distance in the Falmouth. The start is her issue but the examining track here allows more time to make up lost ground.
So much is about luck in Ascot’s big-field handicaps and surely it won’t be long before a good dollop goes to well-handicapped and in-good-heart course specialist Fresh (3-00).
Paul Midgley is the trainer to follow in York’s Jump Jockeys’ Nunthorpe (2-05), and of his three Strong Johnson (Sam Twiston-Davies) catches the eye having run well in a higher-grade race last time.
Probably the most interesting inter-generational clash of the day comes at York (3-15) when the rising star three-year-old King’s Gambit is conceded weight-for-age by Passenger and Alflaila.
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