King George at Ascot

The Group One King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, to be run this afternoon at 17.20 CET at Ascot, is the most important event of the European summer, but possibly no longer has quite the prestige it enjoyed in the last quarter of the 20th century, when it was the automatic summer target for the Derby winner and the other top staying 3yo´s. Now they rarely run in this race, and in fact there were no 3yo´s in the field last year and once again none this year. Obviously its status as a major test of strength between the generations no longer holds good. In addition, since de Beers pulled out two years ago, it has no sponsor, although the prize-money is still impressive, with the winner receiving over 600,000 euros.

This is still way below the sum received for winning the "Arc", Japan Cup, Breeders Cup Classic and other big autumn races. Howver the form if the race cannot be questioned, and last year´s winner and runner-up Dylan Thomas and Youmzain went on to fill the same places in the "Arc". This year´s running has a similar feel to it, as Youmzain (Mick Channon/ Richard Hughes) has another bite at the cherry, while the 2007 winning connections are represented by Duke of Marmalade (Johnny Murtagh), one of 3 Aidan O´Brien runners. Duke of Marmalade is by the same sire as Dylan Thomas - Danehill- and there are plenty of people who doubt his ability to stay a mie ad a half at this level. It is true that he ha been running over ten furlongs - winning 3 Group One´s this year at that distance - and this is his first attempt at today´s trip. However his shrewd connections seem to have no doubt that he will get the trip, and nor do we.

Aidan O´Brien has won just about everything in sight so far this year and another big win here seems highly likely. Apart from Youmzain, winner last time out of the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, but normally more of a bridesmaid than a bride, (and who has forgotten his feeble effort in the Grosser Preis von Baden?) the main dangers would appear to be Sir Michael Stoute´s pair Ask (Ryan Moore) and Papal Bull (Olivier Peslier), as well as John Gosden´s Lucarno, who made all the running to win at Newmarket´s July meeting, and now meets Papal Bull and Petara Bay on better terms. Nor should one forget O´Brien´s second string Macarthur (Seamus Heffernan), who won at Royal Ascot in good style. With O´Brien also running no-hoper Red Rock Canyon as a pacemaker, tactics will be all-important, but one can only hope for a true-run race and that the best horse wins - which we firmly believe to be Duke of Marmalade.