Auguste Rodon and Ryan Moore© Photo Healy Racing
Auguste Rodin heads a high-class field of nine runners declared for the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes at Ascot on Saturday.
Bitterly disappointing in this race 12 months ago having won the Derby and the Irish equivalent, he bounced back to claim the Irish Champion Stakes and Breeders’ Cup Turf.
Aidan O’Brien’s charge was last seen winning the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at the Royal meeting and will be a hot favourite to follow up on his return to Berkshire this weekend.
The Deep Impact colt is joined by his Coronation Cup-winning stablemate Luxembourg, as well as Hans Anderson, but O’Brien has decided against saddling St Leger winner Continuous and Point Lonsdale.
High on the list of opposition is the Charlie Appleby-trained Rebel’s Romance, himself a Breeders’ Cup Turf winner. Also on his CV is the Dubai Sheema Classic – in which Auguste Rodin was last – and Hong Kong’s Champions & Chater Cup.
Top-notch filly Bluestocking is set to take her chance for Ralph Beckett and Juddmonte, having got off the mark at Group One level in the Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh.
David Menuisier’s Irish Derby runner-up Sunway represents the Classic generation, with French interest coming in the shape of Hardwicke Stakes second Goliath for Francis-Henri Graffard.
Further representing the Hardwicke form is John and Thady Gosden’s third-placed Middle Earth, while William Haggas will saddle his Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud victor Dubai Honour.
Middle Earth carries the colours of Qatar Racing, who are also part-owners of Sunway.
Racing manager David Redvers feels Middle Earth is capable of better than he showed in the Hardwicke and is excited to see how he fares at the top level this weekend.
“There was no pace in the race at Ascot at all and he missed the break and that counted against him. They all quickened up at the same time and he was having to make up ground when everything else was accelerating, so it just didn’t work,” he told Sky Sports Racing.
“Immediately after the race, John Gosden said he was really looking forward to the King George. He felt we’d see a proper running from the horse there, so that’s what we’re doing.
“It’s just (a question of) whether or not he’s good enough. Apart from in the Hardwicke, every time he’s run on good or better ground, he’s looked a very serious horse.
“What we know of his ability gives him a very strong outside chance and we’re definitely looking forward to seeing him run.”
Of Sunway, Redvers added: “He’s a very good horse and he’s a horse that’s clearly on the improve.
“He’s been very well brought along by David and we’re very much looking forward to seeing him, as the sole three-year-old in the race.
“It’s a very tough contest and who knows how the generational clash will work out? It’s rather disappointing that there aren’t more three-year-olds taking on the older horses, but we’re looking forward to a good run.”
