You could throw a blanket over the top four in the betting ahead of the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot tomorrow, such is how close they are in the market.
The favourite for the 1 mile 4 furlong Group 1 is Auguste Rodin, who is 4.33 with William Hill, but then come three runners; Emily Upjohn, Hukum and King Of Steel, all at 5.50.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: July 28th, 2:00 P.M. (BST)
At the start of the month, Aidan O’Brien’s Auguste Rodin completed the Derby double, winning the Irish Derby to add to the English race he won in June. Yet to be beaten over this distance, he will have Ryan Moore in the saddle as usual.
Roger Varian’s King Of Steel was runner-up at the Epsom Derby despite going off at 67.00 and he proved 1m4f was his distance by winning a Group 2 at Ascot just over a month ago. Regular jockey Kevin Stott retains the ride.
Emily Upjohn came last of six runners in this race last year but put that behind her to take the British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes over the same course and distance in October.
John & Thady Gosden’s 4-year-old began this season with her first open Group 1 success, taking the Coronation Cup at Epsom, but was beaten by Paddington in her last outing, the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown three weeks ago.
Hukum won last year’s Coronation and has only been seen once since, winning a Group 3 at Sandown in May. Trained by Owen Burrows and ridden by Jim Crowley, the 6-year-old is capable of continuing this unbeaten streak.
Last year’s winner, Pyledriver, is at 8.50, having triumphed at 19.00 twelve months ago with jockey PJ McDonald. Off the track for nearly a year, Pyledriver returned in perfect style, winning the Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes over this course and distance last month.
Fifth that day was Westover (11.00), who then went to Longchamp and came sixth of 20 in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. A runner-up in the Dubai Sheema Classic, Ralph Beckett’s 4-year-old was also second to Emily Upjohn in the Coronation before finally winning the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud this month.
Luxembourg (15.00) will run this distance for just the second time, the first being the Arc where he finished one place behind Westover. This year’s Irish Gold Cup winner was second last time at the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Deauville Legend (26.00) was fourth in the Hardwicke and Hamish (41.00) has two Group 3 wins this season. Point Lonsdale (81.00) and Bolshoi Ballet (126.00) make up the 11-strong field.
