It’s been hailed this week as an “English version of the Arc” and it is easy to see why that opinion has been formed given the stellar cast.
The £1,250,000 showpiece, run over a mile and a half and forming part of the British Champions Series, has attracted a quality field including the two-time Arc winner Enable; Anthony Van Dyck, the Derby victor; the current highest-rated horse in the world, Crystal Ocean; plus Defoe, the Coronation Cup winner. Not to mention Group One winners from France and Japan.
This race was first held in 1951 and was won by Supreme Court. The 1975 renewal featured Grundy and Bustino. These two top-class thoroughbreds fought out such a titanic finish that the race is regarded by many as one of the best in the history of the sport.
The conditions of the race are very interesting. Three year-olds carry eight stones and nine pounds, while older horses are allotted nine stones and seven pounds.
Fillies and mares receive a three pound allowance, while four pounds is deducted from any four year-old runner who ventures here from the southern hemisphere.
Trends & Statistics:
Age: 6 of the last 10 winners were aged 4.
Price: 3 of the last 10 winners were favourites, 6/10 came from the top 3 in the betting.
Last Run: 8/10 winners won on their last run before the King George, 10/10 winners had their last run within the last 50 days.
Ascot: 6/10 winners either ran in the Prince Of Wales’ Stakes or the Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot on their last run.
Rating: 8/10 Winners had a rating of 118 or higher.
Trainer Statistics:
Sir Michael Stoute has been successful in 1981, 1983, 2002, 2009, 2010 & 2018.
Aidan O’Brien has registered winners in 2001, 2007, 2008 & 2016.
Runner-By-Runner Guide:
Cheval Grand
Trained by Yasuo Tomomichi and won Japan’s top mile-and-a-half race, the Japan Cup in 2017. Even though he was beaten 5½ lengths in last year’s race by Almond Eye, in his 29 starts he has consistently made the frame.
His only run this year was in Dubai in the Sheema Classic, when he stayed on well to finish second to Old Persian but this is a completely new ball game.
Crystal Ocean
Crystal Ocean is of the best middle-distance colts in training and holds high-class form between 1m2f and 1m6f.
Now a five-year-old he gained a well deserved first Group One win when landing the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot.
In rain softened ground he kept on stoutly to beat Magical by one and a quarter lengths, with Waldgeist another three and a quarter lengths back in third.
Defoe
Roger Varian has been thrilled with the Coronation Cup winner’s preparation since his Royal Ascot success in the Hardwicke Stakes.
Defoe also won the won Coronation Cup at Epsom by ½ length from Kew Gardens but is rated (119) inferior to the likes of Crystal Ocean (127), Enable (125) and Waldgeist (122).
Hunting Horn
Will probably be deploayed to ensure a good gallop for O’Brien’s main contender, Anthony Van Dyck in this. It is highly unlikely he will be causing any kind of Sovereign type upset here.
Morando
Winner of the Ormonde Stakes at Chester in May but was well beaten by Defoe in the Coronation Stakes and again by the same foe in the Hardwicke Stakes.
It will come as a major surprise if he can turn that form around. Only a major downpour can aid his cause.
Salouen
Trainer Sylvester Kirk is another that will be doing a rain dance for his contender here.
A winner over the course and distance in the Buckhounds Stakes in May, the five-year-old has since come third in the Coronation Cup at Epsom and was down the field in the Hardwicke Stakes.
He is a very game horse but a very ground dependent one.
Waldgeist
Improving with age and was a smart winner of the Prix Ganay in April.
Ran a fair enough third in the Prince Of Wales's here last time and the drier conditions, plus a step up in trip, should be right up his street.
Finished just a length and a quarter behind Enable when fourth in last year's Arc, so is obviously no back number.
Enable
A victory for Enable on Saturday will also be her 11th successive win under Frankie Dettori, a record which dates back to their Cheshire Oaks triumph back in 2017. If she collects the first prize she will have won this prestigious contest twice after scoring previously in 2017.
The dual Arc winner is a strong favourite to secure victory following on from her impressive win in the Eclipse at Sandown Park at the beginning of the month.
Enable registered her eighth Group One win when overcoming Magical on her seasonal return in the Eclipse and will obviously be a tough nut to crack.
Magic Wand
Looks a big price at around 66/1 given that she is likely to have her optimum conditions on Saturday and she could easily outrun her odds.
She won the Ribblesdale last summer before running a couple of decent races at Longchamp, and then she was whisked off for races in the USA and Meydan.
Anthony Van Dyck
Anthony Van Dyck will be receiving 8lb from odds-favourite Enable and will be hoping to emulate his father Galileo in lifting this esteemed prize.
No Derby winner has run in the King George as a three-year-old since Workforce was a beaten favourite in 2010 but his trainer Aidan O’Brien is confident his last run in the Irish Derby was just a blip.
Norway
Finished 8½ lengths third to Sovereign in Irish Derby at the Curragh last time but he is sure to be used as pacemaker in this contest. It’s pretty easy to look elsewhere to find the winner.
Conclusion: Who Wins?
One again it is very difficult to get away from the solid chances of Enable in this race. Her 2019 path has been plotted and this should be yet another successful step along it.
888sport suggests: Enable (win)
