King George Stakes: Timeform preview, tip and free racecard

The King George Stakes (15:35) at Goodwood on Friday is available as a free Race Pass, which means logged-in customers can view all our premium comments and ratings.

The outstanding sprinter Battaash dominated the King George Stakes (15:35) with four consecutive wins between 2017 and 2020, while his trainer, Charlie Hills, was also successful 12 months ago with Khaadem. This year Hills saddles two runners as he tries to gain his sixth success in seven years, though both seemingly have their work cut out to beat a six-year-old mare who comfortably sets the standard on Timeform's weight-adjusted ratings.

The John Quinn-trained Highfield Princess (138) is the horse in question, a three-time Group 1 winner in 2022 when landing the Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville, the Nunthorpe Stakes at York and the Flying Five Stakes at the Curragh. Admittedly, she is yet to scale quite the same heights in three starts so far this season, though it was hard to fault her runs at Royal Ascot when she hit the frame in both the King's Stand Stakes (beaten a length into second) and Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes (beaten a length and half into third). A credit to her connections, Highfield Princess will be well suited by today's conditions, five furlongs on soft ground, and it looks an excellent opportunity for her to get off the mark for the season now back down in grade.

Equality (129) and Equilateral (123) are the two horses from the Hills yard tasked with trying to topple Highfield Princess. The eight-year-old Equilateral ran respectably when last seen finishing fifth (beaten four and a quarter lengths) in the King's Stand Stakes, though he seems to fall just a notch below the top sprinters at this late stage in his career. Equality, on the other hand, arrives here on a sharp upward curve and is well worth a try at this level having shown borderline very smart form when comfortably winning the Coral Charge at Sandown last time. He could be the one to give Highfield Princess most to think about.

Karl Burke, who has the 'Hot Trainer' Flag to denote that his yard is in top form, is also double-handed in this Group 2 with White Lavender (127) and Silky Wilkie (125). White Lavender produced a career-best effort when winning the Prix de Saint-Georges at Longchamp in May and is better judged on that form having raced too freely when disappointing in the Sapphire Stakes at the Curragh last time. As for Silky Wilkie, he is yet to fully reproduce his best form outside of handicap company and his runner-up finish in a listed race at York last time suggests he's likely to come up short at this level.

That listed contest was won by Nymphadora (126), who proved better than ever in beating Silky Wilkie by a length and three-quarters, finding plenty after moving to the front two furlongs out. She is blessed with plenty of speed, acts well in the mud and could have each-way prospects if getting away on terms (sometimes slowly away).

Nymphadora is one of three four-year-old fillies in the line-up along with Ladies Church (128) and Makarova (122). Irish raider Ladies Church proved a disappointment when last seen trying to land the Sapphire Stakes for the second year in a row, but she showed when winning a listed contest at Naas the time before that she remains as good as ever. Trained by Ed Walker, who also has the 'Hot Trainer' Flag', Makarova was in career-best form when filling the runner-up spot in the Coral Charge last time, though she was beaten a length and a half behind Equality and it's hard to see her reversing the placings with that rival.

Mick Appleby is another with the 'Hot Trainer' Flag and he saddles Raasel (118+), who ran his best race when beaten just a neck behind Khaadem in this race last year. Raasel also won a handicap over this course and distance in 2022 and he has the 'Horse For Course' Flag to underline that he is very effective under these conditions. Admittedly, he's been below his best so far this season, but his fifth (beaten two and a half lengths) in the Coral Charge suggested he was on the way back and it's worth putting a line through his run here on Tuesday having been left poorly placed.

The field is completed by Kerdos (118) and Ponntos (114+). The three-year-old Kerdos was only sixth in the listed race won by Nymphadora at York last time and even his best form leaves him with plenty to find, while similar comments apply to Czech raider Ponntos, who will relish the emphasis on speed at this track but needs to bounce back from a few below-par runs in 2023.

Timeform Analyst's Verdict:

All ground comes alike for the fantastic mare Highfield Princess and she can resume winning ways after solid efforts in the Group 1 sprints at Royal Ascot. Equality has found a chunk of improvement of late, readily making all at Sandown last time, and looks the danger in his hat-trick bid. York-winner Nymphadora is respected, while Raasel, who wasn't seen to best effect here on Tuesday, could go well at bigger odds

Timeform's weight-adjusted ratings:

138 Highfield Princess

129 Equality

128 Ladies Church

127 White Lavender

126 Nymphadora

125 Silky Wilkie

123 Equilateral

122 Makarova

118+ Raasel

118 Kerdos

114+ Ponntos

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