Hukum won the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes at Ascot, report, reaction and replay
Burrows had just seen his Alflaila defy a 294 day absence in the Sky Bet York Stakes before watching Hukum get the better of Westover in the historic Group One.
Ballydoyle pair Point Lonsdale and Bolshoi Ballet cut out the early running with stablemate, favourite and dual Derby winner Auguste Rodin held-up in rear but trapped wide on the course, racing behind Westover.
The leaders ran some fast fractions mid-race before swinging quite wide off the bend - allowing another stablemate Luxembourg through on their inside - but racegoers looking for the challenge of Auguste Rodin were left disappointed with Ryan Moore already easing his colt down before later dismounting.
Westover made a big move under Rob Hornby and hit the front passing the two furlong marker but he could never shake off Hukum who gradually wore down his rival to win by a head.
King Of Steel, who had been a shade keen early, was beaten a further four and a half lengths into third having never threatened with Luxembourg fourth.
Aidan O’Brien was at a loss to explain the effort of Auguste Rodin, saying: “There are no excuses. Whatever happened, the power ran out and it ran out early. That is the unusual thing. The race wasn’t even started.
“He was calm in the paddock, we were very happy with him. There is obviously a reason and we’ll find it. It is frustrating, but that’s the way.”
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Hukum had made a winning start to his season, beating Desert Crown (ruled out earlier in the week with injury) in the Brigadier Gerard Stakes at Sandown and proved that he had taken a step forwards from that run in winning a second career Group 1.
The six-year-old has taken his form to new levels over the last two seasons, beating Pyledriver (fifth here) in the 2022 Coronation Cup to gain a first top level success only to be ruled out for the rest of the season days later with injury but Burrows, showing the patience that his mentor Sir Michael Stoute is renowned for, has bided his time in bringing Hukum back to his peak.
It's a notable success for Burrows who had been a private trainer for the late Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum but who has operated in a non-salaried capacity this year.
Burrows said: “I’m just speechless. He’s an absolute star, isn’t he. It is a big team effort – I have a great team behind me. My head lad rides him every day, John Lake.
“To be honest, we felt he has never been better, this season for whatever reason, he’s shown a lot more speed. But what a tough horse – and he had to be, because the second didn’t lay down, did he? He made us fight all the way.
“What a race. It lived up to its spectacle. I’m a bit hoarse from shouting.
“What can you say about him – he’s an absolute star. I can’t put into words what it means. I’m in my second season as a public trainer and we have a great team. The guys back at Shadwell rehabbed him after his injury at Epsom – huge credit to them.
“It was the type of injury that wouldn’t retire a horse, but he’d just won a Group One and he was five, so you think – hats off to Sheikha Hissa for giving him a chance.”
He added: “This horse has been a huge part of my career. He is my first Royal Ascot winner, first Group One winner and he won in Dubai when we first went out after the sad passing of Sheikh Hamdan, so to come back and so what he’s done is just amazing.”
Sheikha Hissa said: "Extremely proud, extremely proud.
"He's a genuine horse and he always tries, he came back from injury and I have to thank everyone at Shadwell who helped rehab him back and then we sent him to Owen, they treat the horse like their son anyway, and I have to thank all of them, they did an amazing job to bring him back."
Asked on her thoughts while watching the final furlong, Sheikha Hissa replied with a laugh: "I was too busy crying!
"It was just amazing, amazing to watch. We missed Royal Ascot because the ground wasn't suitable for him but this was the main goal and after his performance last time out, I didn't doubt that he was ready for this one. He's started to speed up which wasn't there five years ago and now at six, he's started to go faster and faster.....a genuine horse, I can't say enough about him.
"We thought he had more potential. I have to thank everyone who suggested we keep him in training, it was our whole team not just me, and I'm glad he proved it."
Winning jockey Jim Crowley commented: "It was a performance of pure determination.
"The race went smoothly, I had a nice position, I got onto the back of Westover turning in and I just had to hope that somebody didn't come out of the pack. In fairness to the second he didn't lie down, he kept coming back.
"Full credit to Sheikha Hissa (owner) because this horse could quite easily have gone off to stud after winning the Coronation given how he's bred, they decided to keep him in training and it's been rewarded today. Good training performance as well, this horse has been off a while and to come back........he missed the Hardwicke and it would have been very easy to run him there that day, it was a very brave decision not to run and it came to fruition today.
"Very special, even to get a ride in the race, it was the best King George I've seen on paper for a while and, like I said, this horse, everyone expected him to want soft ground and that was good ground today and I don't think there were too many excuses for the others on the ground and he's equally adept on soft ground. It was nice for him to win in the manner that he did on that ground."
An emotional Angus Gold, racing manager for Shadwell, said: "Amazing! Fantastic result, what a lovely horse he is. To come back from a serious injury, they did brilliantly at the stud to get him back and Owen has been really patient with him; fantastic.
"It means a great deal to Sheikha Hissa as you can imagine, bred by her father, special."
Timeform Analysis: David Cleary
The 2023 King George And Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes promised to be a vintage edition and, despite the eclipse of the front two in the market, it turned out to be one. Hukum and Westover produced an epic finish to a fair race, the outcome in the balance throughout the final furlong, shades of Grundy and Bustino.
Hukum is building a formidable record, sparingly raced and kept away from firmish ground. He had shown in last year's Coronation Cup and in beating the 2022 Derby winner Desert Crown in the Brigadier Gerard on his return that he had close to the best form in this strong field, but he was still forced to go to that level and perhaps a shade more to see off Westover.
Westover had flopped when favourite for last year's King George, but it was a different story this time, as he ran the race of his life, going down all guns blazing. A rematch with Hukum, the Arc the obvious battleground, would be a contest to savour.
The pair finished clear of the Derby runner-up King of Steel and two further Group 1 winners, possible non-stayer Luxembourg and last year's winner Pyledriver, with a long gap back to the rest, nothing in the outcome suggesting other than a positive view of the form.
Auguste Rodin was sent off favourite after victories in the Derby and the Irish Derby, but he ran no race for the second time this year, beaten well before the straight. A bit on his toes beforehand, perhaps a third run in under two months was a bit too much (as it was for Westover last year).
Emily Upjohn, so impressive in beating Westover in the Coronation Cup, was another to flop, her rider Frankie Dettori urging but getting minimal response fully three furlongs out.
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