ITV Racing Tips: Emily Upjohn can star on day of days at the races
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You could not ask for a better race than the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes which has the potential to be the Flat race of the season – perhaps many seasons – at Ascot this weekend.
Stacked with Group 1 talent, seven of the 11-strong field have won at the highest level, starting with this year’s Derby winner Auguste Rodin who meets Derby second King Of Steel again.
Then there are the older horses who include last year’s winner Pyledriver, Hukum, Emily Upjohn, Luxembourg and Westover.
It should be a brilliant finale to an excellent afternoon’s racing on ITV which will also show the best action from York.
The seven-race schedule kicks off at 13:30 on ITV and we have previewed three of the day’s significant races in our ITV Racing Tips.
A 27-runner field is assembled for this specialists 7f handicap, among them some old favourites such as last year’s winner Fresh, Bless Him and Escobar, horses who excel in this type of event.
Of that trio, Bless Him is the one who is creeping back to form and finished fourth behind Biggles last time at Newmarket. Biggles actually won comfortably, goes well on soft ground and can be piloted to another victory by Ryan Moore.
A fascinating five runner race with Alflaila making a belated start to his season and Royal Champion having his first start since winning at Royal Ascot. This is the race Tom Marquand has come to ride in instead of partnering Hamish in the King George.
My Prospero has been tipped for top honours this year but so far, he has fallen short of those expectations. He finished fourth in the Lockinge and Prince of Wales’s Stakes but it may be that he needs soft ground to show his best, which he should get at York.
The weight-for-age allowance is a big advantage for three-year-olds which means Auguste Rodin and King Of Steel get 11lb from older males. Yet the older horses have held sway in 16 runnings of the race this century and their greater experience in this type of event can count again.
For all Aidan O’Brien’s enthusiasm for Auguste Rodin, he struggled to beat an inferior stablemate in the Irish Derby. He still has something to prove.
Last year Pyledriver beat the Arc winner Torquator Tasso at Ascot. His form stacks up. There should be little between him and Hukum. But they have to give 3lb to Emily Upjohn who was brilliant in the Coronation Cup and not disgraced when second to Paddington in the Eclipse. Back at her preferred trip, she can give Frankie Dettori a record eighth King George victory.
ITV Racing Schedule, Saturday, 29th July
13:50 Ascot – Princess Margaret Stakes
14:05 York – Jump Jockeys handicap
14:25 Ascot – Valiant Stakes
14:40 York – Dash handicap
15:00 Ascot – International Stakes
15:15 York – York Stakes
15:40 Ascot – King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
