King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes - Tips
- Matchday FM
- Jul 24, 2020
- 7 min read
One of the feature events of the flat racing calendar takes place at Ascot this weekend.
The King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes has an illustrious roll of honour, including horses such as Highland Reel, Nathaniel, Galileo and Shergar, and serves as the premier middle distance race for older horses in Britain.
Enable, already a dual winner of the event, looks to do something no horse has ever done by winning it for a third time under Frankie Dettori.
She faces just three rivals, all from the stable of master trainer Aidan O'Brien, and is a very short-priced favourite to retain her crown, following an enthralling victory over Crystal Ocean a year ago.
There is a bumper card featuring nine races from Ascot and York live on ITV, and our Matchday FM pundits Harry Reynolds, Ben Wignall and Joseph Richardson have made their selections.
13.50 - BetfredTV Pat Eddery Stakes (Listed)
Harry Reynolds – I never like to oppose unbeaten horses, so TWAASOL is the one for me here. He’s won both of his two starts, and was very impressive when making up ground late on in the Woodcote on Derby day.
Ben Wignall - A lot of different form lines are brought into this two-year-old race, and from the way he finished off in the Woodcote it’s hard to see past TWAASOL for Owen Burrows.
Joseph Richardson – Saeiqa and Saint Lawrence have the most solid form on paper from the Superlative Stakes and the Coventry, but NAVAL CROWN on his second appearance has the scope to be a big improver. He was just edged out on debut at Newmarket but looked to have speed and will appreciate better ground.
14.05 – Sky Bet Britain's Most Popular Online Bookmaker EBF Stallions Fillies' Handicap
HR – A trappy contest, GOLDEN HIND carries just 8st 6lbs under jockey Shane Gray. She is nicely bred, and off such a lowly weight may be able to fly home at the finish.
BW - GOLDEN HIND has had just two career starts and she’s set to take advantage of the new ruling where you get a handicap mark after just two starts. A half-sister to Group One-winning Amazing Maria, the David O’Meara filly bumped into a good Godolphin sort at Ripon last time and she could get off the mark this time at York.
JR - William Haggas’ stable is on fire at the moment and it should continue here with Her Majesty’s filly AWARD SCHEME, who has gone up ten pounds for a win last time out at Salisbury.
14.25 - Moet & Chandon International Stakes
HR – Despite not winning in seven starts since October 2018, BLUE MIST is the wise-guy selection here. Roger Charlton’s horse got no run in the Silver Wokingham when encountering more traffic than rush hour in the capital, but looks set to go well again off the same mark of 95, assuming he is ridden more prominently.
BW - The favourite for this is Blue Mist, and I’m reluctant to back him again having selected him for the Silver Wokingham last month. CLIFFS OF CAPRI ran well in the Buckingham Palace Handicap, and Ascot seems to be a course that he very much likes.
JR - A fiercely competitive handicap over 7f down the Ascot straight, six places is what we need! Having looked through the race, I did not find many holes in CLIFFS OF CAPRI’s form. He hasn’t raced since finishing 4th and only 2 ¾ lengths behind Motakhayyel at Ascot, who has since gone onto further success in the Bunbury Cup at Newmarket.
14.40 - Sky Bet York Stakes (Group 2)
HR – You can find issues with most of the horses in this race. By far the most straight forward of them is Hughie Morrison’s TELECASTER, who won over course and distance when taking the Dante ahead of Too Darn Hot in May last year. He was supremely impressive last time out in a Listed race in France, with the danger for my money being King of Comedy if he is on a rare going day.
BW - This is a pretty competitive Group 2 field, and after bolting up in France last time out, TELECASTER might finally be able to return to winning ways on British soil. He’ll have to turn around the form from Haydock in June with Elarqam, but this race seems like a wide-open contest this year.
JR - An intriguing renewal of the Sky Bet York Stakes. Elarqam is probably the most likely winner on ability, but I’ve always liked REGAL REALITY and it was a good run in the Coral Eclipse where Jim Crowley may have wished he raced the horse more prominently.
15.00 - Betfred "Nifty Fifty" Handicap
HR – TSAR debuted in an extremely hot maiden at Newmarket last year behind Al Madhar, Al Suhail and First Receiver. That form makes him better than a mark of 94, and this Kingman colt should go on to bigger and better things this season.
BW - I’m not a fan of backing favourites in handicaps, but TSAR looked like a good thing at Newbury when stepping up to that class, and Frankie Dettori is jocked up once again. However, I wouldn’t be surprised to see a big run from 25/1 outsider Glasvegas, who was outclassed in Group 3 company on reappearance and finished midfield last time in the Britannia Stakes.
JR - I struggle to see how JOHAN is not favourite here. He may be come post-time as he was tanking home on his previous start when winning at Newbury. The handicapper was clearly impressed, raising him eight pounds for that success.
15.15 - Sky Bet Club Handicap
HR – Having lost his way towards the end of last season with three poor runs, IRV appears to be forgotten about in the market. He’s won over course and distance previously, and made a pleasing reappearance after wind surgery when second at Thirsk last month.
BW - AL ERAYG has shown some good form for Tim Easterby this season already, with one win and two places in his three runs. There’s not really much to split this field and this race could see a competitive finish.
JR - GREENSIDE is still doing it as a nine-year-old and was a good winner of a Class 2 handicap at Haydock, and always runs his race. He won’t have Marco Ghiani claiming five in the saddle this time, but can still do the job.
15.35 - King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes (Group 1)
HR – This should be a walkover for ENABLE, as she has already beaten Japan this year in the Coral Eclipse when conceding race fitness. Anthony Van Dyck has been terrible in two starts at Ascot and barely travelled a yard, including in this last year. Sovereign was massively flattered in the Irish Derby a year ago when getting an easy lead, helped by terrible tactics by the other jockeys. Frankie Dettori can make this easy by going to the front and controlling the race on Enable, and she is in a different stratosphere to all of her rivals. After the thrilling race 12 months ago, this is a dire line up.
BW - The big race of the day sees ENABLE return to her optimal distance of 12 furlongs, and she is by far the classiest in the race. It’s disappointing that only three rivals oppose her - all from the Ballydoyle yard as well - and they’ll be looking to spoil her race, but it’s hard to see past her adding a third King George to her resumé.
JR - I understand this is a strange season, but to only have four runners represented by two trainers in here is a crying shame for Ascot and everyone behind this race. The best result would of course be a victory for Enable, who would be the first horse to win three King George’s. However, her three rivals will try and run her down and I think she is vulnerable as a six-year-old. In a thoroughly disappointing betting race, at the prices SOVEREIGN is definitely worth a shout to make all as he did in last year’s Irish Derby. His comeback run at the Curragh was eye-catching, running to his second best ever RPR.
15.50 - Sky Bet Most Extra Place Races Handicap
HR – QUEEN OF KALAHARI has won five of her last six starts, albeit away from turf at Southwell and Newcastle. But she clearly retains her form with a win at the latter track on reappearance last month, and a five pound rise may not be enough to stop her. She has won on turf before, so that is no concern, and she is a decent price to make the places at least.
BW - I will take a chance on the top weight TUKHOOM here for the David O’Meara and Danny Tudhope tandem. This represents a drop in class from his handicap win last week over course and distance and he could be set for a big run again.
JR - AUTUMN FLIGHT is in the middle of the weights and ran well last time out, albeit over five furlongs at Haydock. David Allan takes the ride for Tim Easterby.
16.10 - betfred.com Handicap
HR – Roger Varian and Andrea Atzeni are in red-hot form, and I will take LOOK CLOSELY to continue that. He badly needed the run on reappearance at Newmarket in June, but will come on a bundle for that. Having been pretty consistent last year, he’s a decent each-way bet to hit the frame.
BW - The favourite carries a low weight for this for David Simcock after just two runs, but I’m going for experience with FRONTISPIECE. Formerly owned by The Queen, this Shamardal gelding has been solid enough since moving to Amanda Perrett’s yard from Sir Michael Stoute last year, and I’m hoping he can take another step forward.
JR – MASCAT comes here having tried his luck in the Hampton Court Stakes over 10 furlongs and is now racing in handicap company. This horse has undoubted ability, having been second to Palace Pier in a maiden as a two-year-old.
Selections
Harry Reynolds
13.50 Twaasol 11/4
14.05 Golden Hind 5/1
14.25 Blue Mist 4/1
14.40 Telecaster 11/4
15.00 Tsar 2/1
15.15 Irv 10/1
15.35 Enable 8/15
15.50 Queen of Kalahari 8/1
16.10 Look Closely 8/1
Ben Wignall
13.50 Twaasol 11/4
14.05 Golden Hind 5/1
14.25 Cliffs of Capri 11/1
14.40 Telecaster 11/4
15.00 Tsar 2/1
15.15 Al Erayg 6/1
15.35 Enable 8/15
15.50 Tukhoom 11/2
16.10 Frontispiece 15/2
Joseph Richardson
13.50 Naval Crown 4/1
14.05 Award Scheme 5/2
14.25 Cliffs of Capri 11/1
14.40 Regal Reality 8/1
15.00 Johan 7/2
15.15 Greenside 13/2
15.35 Sovereign 11/1
15.50 Autumn Flight 7/1
16.10 Mascat 8/1
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