King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes: Timeform preview, tip and free racecard

The King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes (15:40) at Ascot on Saturday is available as a free Race Pass, which means logged-in customers can view all our premium comments and ratings.

This looks a particularly strong renewal of Ascot’s King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes (15:40), with seven of the field being Group/Grade 1 winners already which is more than the total number of runners which have contested either of the last two renewals. Much of the interest in this year’s race centres on how the two three-year-old colts in the line-up will fare against older rivals for the first time.

With both of them open to further improvement, the first two in the Derby, Auguste Rodin (131p) and King of Steel (130p), look the pair to concentrate on. They had very different profiles going into Epsom, with Auguste Rodin already a Group 1 winner at two in the Futurity Trophy at Doncaster, though running no sort of race on his return in the 2000 Guineas. King of Steel had more to prove after finishing down the field behind Auguste Rodin at Doncaster and then missing his intended reappearance in the Dante Stakes after playing up in the stalls which meant that the Derby was his first start for his new trainer Roger Varian.

But while Auguste Rodin was sent off at 9/2 for the Derby and King of Steel at 66/1, there proved to be very little between them, with King of Steel briefly going clear once quickening to lead over two furlongs out before Auguste Rodin collared him in the final hundred yards to win by half a length. Both colts have won since Epsom, with Auguste Rodin following up in the Irish Derby where he made heavy weather of landing the odds from stablemate Adelaide River, though a more truly-run race, which he’s likely to get here, gives him a better chance of showing further improvement.

But King of Steel made a far better impression, earning the ‘Horse In Focus’ flag, with his win in the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot even if he too didn’t need to improve on his Epsom form. Patiently ridden, he cruised into contention in the straight and settled the issue quickly before beating Continuous three and a half lengths. A strapping colt, King of Steel has still had only four races and, with the most scope for improvement, he’s taken to turn the tables on Auguste Rodin and come out on top this time.

Both three-year-olds will likely need to improve further because their older rivals set a high standard, notably Emily Upjohn (135) who tops the weight-adjusted ratings with her fillies’ allowance. She ran the only poor race of her life in this contest last year but has since won the Fillies & Mares Stakes over the same course and distance last October and the Coronation Cup at Epsom impressively on her reappearance. Back down in trip, she confirmed that improvement in the Eclipse Stakes at Sandown last time, losing little in defeat to Auguste Rodin’s thriving three-year-old stablemate Paddington who beat her half a length. Emily Upjohn wore a hood for her last two wins but the headgear was left off last time and again here.

Hukum (134) was the previous season’s Coronation Cup winner, but he sustained a serious leg injury in the process so did particularly well to make a successful return in the Brigadier Gerard Stakes at Sandown in May where he beat last year’s Derby winner Desert Crown, also returning from injury, by half a length. That was a high-class effort, earning him the ‘Horse In Focus’ flag, and while he had to miss the Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot due to firmer conditions, he’ll have softer ground here.

The Hardwicke went to Pyledriver (131), another who’s had his problems but who has a particularly good record over Ascot’s mile and a half, earning him the ‘Horses For Courses’ flag. The winner of the 2021 Coronation Cup and runner-up to Hukum in the same race last year, Pyledriver caused an 18/1 surprise in last year’s King George in which he beat the previous season’s Arc winner Torquator Tasso. Absent until returning in the Hardwicke last month, he didn’t have to show the same form last time when beating West Wind Blows by a length and a quarter and will probably need to be better than ever if he’s to win this again.

‘Hot Trainer’ Aidan O’Brien fields three other runners besides Auguste Rodin, notably the high-class Luxembourg (132), winner of last season’s Irish Champion Stakes. He matched that form when successful in the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh in May but, making the running again, was a beaten favourite in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot, finishing four lengths second to 10/1 winner Mostahdaf. This will be only a second try at a mile and a half for Luxembourg after he met trouble in running before running on to finish seventh in the Arc last year when shaping as though he’ll prove fully effective at the trip. Stablemates Bolshoi Ballet (122), runner-up in the Wolferton Stakes at Royal Ascot, and Point Lonsdale (124), a well-held third in the Coronation Cup, are smart performers but outsiders in this company.

Last year’s Irish Derby winner Westover (130) was another to disappoint in this race last year when he was sent off favourite, but he’s in fine form this year for ‘Hot Trainer’ Ralph Beckett, finishing a length and a three quarters second to Emily Upjohn in the Coronation Cup and then winning the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud three weeks ago, though there was a lot less strength in depth to that contest than he’ll find here.

Genuine gelding Deauville Legend (125) won three times last year, notably the Great Voltigeur Stakes at York, before running a good fourth in the Melbourne Cup, but has a stiff task in his first Group 1 on home turf. He didn’t get the best of runs but shaped as though retaining his ability when keeping on late for fourth behind Pyledriver in the Hardwicke on his reappearance.

Hamish (129) takes his chance with underfoot conditions in his favour and has an excellent record in lesser pattern races for ‘Hot Trainer’ William Haggas, winning a couple more this season at Chester (Ormonde Stakes) and York (Silver Cup), but while he ran very well to be beaten less than a length by top-class stayer Kyprios in last year’s Irish St Leger, this is a much hotter race than those he normally contests.

Timeform Analyst’s Verdict:

An excellent renewal with seven of the runners already a winner at the highest level. King of Steel isn't one of them but he arguably has the most potential in the field and can reverse Derby placings with Auguste Rodin, who made heavy weather of following up his Epsom victory at the Curragh. Strong claims can also be made for high-class older horses Emily Upjohn and Hukum.

Timeform's weight-adjusted ratings:

135 Emily Upjohn

134 Hukum

132 Luxembourg

131p Auguste Rodin

131 Pyledriver

130p King of Steel

130 Westover

129 Hamish

125 Deauville Legend

124 Point Lonsdale

122 Bolshoi Ballet

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