King George: Who Will Follow in the Footsteps of Giants?

[Wandering Eyes]

There is regrettably no three-year-old to lay down a marker for the Classic generation in this year's King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, but the five-runner contest nevertheless provides an intriguing contest between a select group of the best older horses in training. 

The Aga Khan Studs' highly consistent Calandagan (Gleneagles), who landed his deserved Group 1 spoils in last month's Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, is narrowly favoured ahead of the St Leger and Coronation Cup winner Jan Brueghel (Galileo). Representing the leading stables of France and Ireland, their respective trainers Francis Graffard and Aidan O'Brien each head the tables in their home countries having dominated the first half of the season.

Graffard will of course be bidding for back-to-back wins in the £1.5m contest after last year's breakthrough victory with Goliath (Adlerflug). The 2023 St Leger winner Continuous (Heart's Cry) has latterly been playing the role of support act for his younger stable-mates and he returns to the fray again for a seventh appearance of the season.

To line up for this race is to follow in the footsteps of giants: from the epic tussle of half a century ago between Grundy and Bustino, to Montjeu another 25 years on from that, to the following year's duel between Galileo and Fantastic Light, the midsummer highlight rarely disappoints, even with only a select number of starters.

Jan Brueghel, from Galileo's penultimate crop, will be attempting to emulate his victory of 2001. Nine years have passed since his trainer Aidan O'Brien last won the King George with another son of the late champion in Highland Reel. He said, “Everything has gone well with Jan Brueghel since the last day [in the Coronation Cup]. Continuous rolls along usually and he'll go forward, but if someone else wants to go on [and make the running], he'll be happy too.”

Kalpana (Study Of Man), the sole filly among the quintet, is proven over track and trip following her exploits in rather different conditions on Champions Day last October, and her two outings over a shorter distance in Ireland so far this year have suggested that she is crying out for a return to the greater stamina test she will find here. 

Godolphin's stalwart Rebel's Romance (Dubawi) is fast becoming something of a people's horse, showing the benefit of the top Flat stars staying in training a little longer. Now seven, he has amassed 18 victories from his 26 races around the world to date and was third here last year behind Goliath and subsequent Arc winner Bluestocking (Camelot).

Barry Mahon, racing manager for Juddmonte, said of Kalpana's challenge, “Rebel's Romance is such a legend of a horse and Calandagan and Jan Brueghel are obviously very, very talented. We think going back up to a mile and a half will suit our filly and Andrew [Balding] said she worked well on Wednesday morning and he's very happy with her, so we're hopeful that her first two runs have set her up nicely for this.”

Starman in the Vanguard

The Starman bandwagon has really gathered momentum, with Tally-Ho Stud's young sire having been represented by yet another new stakes winner this week in the G3 Tyros Stakes victor North Coast, taking his tally of group winners to four. 

That could become five on Saturday. Amo Racing's G2 Queen Mary Stakes runner-up Flowerhead is likely to start close to favourite for the G3 Princess Margaret Stakes on what could be a big day for her first-season trainer Charlie Clover.

She is rivalled in the market by Staya (Havana Grey), who was behind Flowerhead when fifth in the Queen Mary but has subsequently won the Listed Dragon Stakes at Sandown for KHK Racing and George Scott.

Arturo Cousino's homebred Jancis (Tamayuz) is an intriguing raider for Ascot's G3 Valiant Stakes on her first start outside Ireland for Willie McCreery.

All eight races from Ascot on Saturday are included in the World Pool, along with two race from York – the G2 York Stakes, which features the return of Ed Walker's Almaqam (Lope De Vega), and the Dash Handicap.

 

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