Auguste Rodin headlines Aidan O’Brien’s three-strong team for the latest Group 1 of the season, the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes, at Ascot on Saturday.
The dual Classic winner bounced back from a sub-par start to his four-year-old campaign by galloping to glory in the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot last month.
Stablemate Hans Andersen played a key role as pacemaker in that race and those tactics could be repeated, while fellow Ballydoyle resident Luxembourg is bidding to build on top-level success in the Coronation Cup last time out.
Godolphin’s globetrotter Rebel’s Romance attempts to bring up a hat-trick of Group 1s – the first of which was the Dubai Sheema Classic in which Auguste Rodin trailed home in last place.
Bluestocking goes for a third win in a row and is pitched against the opposite sex after beating Emily Upjohn in the Pretty Polly Stakes last month, while Dubai Honour also heads into the race in winning form after landing the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud on his most recent outing.
French runner Goliath and Group 3 winner Middle Earth – a potential candidate for the Melbourne Cup – renew rivalries after placing second and third respectively in last month’s Hardwicke Stakes over C&D
Irish Derby second Sunway is the sole representative for the Classic generation in Saturday’s 15:40.
The latest King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes odds are on the Paddy Power website and Paddy Power app, otherwise Timeform’s guide to the runners as well as betting tips from the racing boffins can be found below.
King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes 2024 verdict
Timeform: AUGUSTE RODIN fluffed his lines badly in this 12 months ago and his tendency to throw in the odd stinker never makes him one for maximum faith but 6 Group 1 wins show he’s high-class when in the mood and he’s the one to beat. Bluestocking is an improved filly this year and can give Aidan O’Brien’s charge most to do. One who could figure at bigger odds is Middle Earth, who found a steady gallop against him in the Hardwicke and should get a stronger pace to aim at here.
*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change
King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes 2024 runners and riders
The following horses have been declared for the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes 2024.
Auguste Rodin
Trainer: Aidan O’Brien Jockey: Ryan Moore Age: 4 Weight: 9st 9lbs Draw: 2
Has flopped on a few occasions, including in this race last year, but he’s very good on his day, winning Derby at Epsom, Irish Derby, Irish Champion and Breeders’ Cup Turf at 3. Back to his best when winning Prince of Wales’s at the Royal meeting here last month and he’s the one to beat again.
*****
Dubai Honour
Trainer: William Haggas Jockey: Tom Marquand Age: 6 Weight: 9st 9lbs Draw: 8
Landed a pair of Group 1 wins in Australia last spring and landed his first success at the highest level in Europe when proving 1¾ lengths too strong for Feed The Flame in last month’s Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud (1½m, good). Suspicion he’ll find at least the odd one too strong here.
***
Goliath
Trainer: Francis-Henri Graffard Jockey: Christophe Soumillon Age: 4 Weight: 9st 9lbs Draw: 6
Made all in a 1½m Group 3 in May. Better form in defeat at Group 2 level since (3¾ lengths second in the Hardwicke over C&D latterly) but he’ll need improvement to play a prominent role in Group 1 company.
**
Hans Andersen
Trainer: Aidan O’Brien Jockey: Sean Levey Age: 4 Weight: 9st 9lbs Draw: 5
Very useful in his own right but presumably in here to ensure a good pace for his stablemates.
*
Luxembourg
Trainer: Aidan O’Brien Jockey: W. M. Lordan Age: 5 Weight: 9st 9lbs Draw: 1
High-class horse who notched the fourth Group 1 success of his career in the Coronation Cup at Epsom (1½m, soft) at the end of May. Capable of bettering last year’s fourth in this but Moore sides with Auguste Rodin.
***
Middle Earth
Trainer: John & Thady Gosden Jockey: Oisin Murphy Age: 4 Weight: 9st 9lbs Draw: 4
Improved again to win Newbury Group 3 (1½m, good to firm) on reappearance in May. Found a steady pace against him when 4½ lengths third (Goliath second) over C&D at the Royal meeting. Has a bit to find on form but the likely stronger pace this time should play to his strengths.
***
Rebel’s Romance
Trainer: Charlie Appleby Jockey: William Buick Age: 6 Weight: 9st 9lbs Draw: 3
Former Breeders’ Cup Turf winner who has shown himself better than ever when adding to his Group 1 haul overseas this spring, taking the Sheema Classic at Meydan in March and Champions Cup at Sha Tin in May. This is his first attempt at the highest level in Britain.
***
Bluestocking
Trainer: Ralph Beckett Jockey: Rossa Ryan Age: 4 Weight: 9st 6lbs Draw: 9
Really smart at 3 and has taken it up another notch this year, winning Group 2 Middleton Stakes at York (1¼m, good) and Group 1 Pretty Polly at the Curragh (1¼m, good to soft) in recent months. The cheekpieces she wore at York return. Should prove just as effective back at 1½m. Bold show likely.
****
Sunway
Trainer: David Menuisier Jockey: James Doyle Age: 3 Weight: 8st 12lbs Draw: 7
Winner of Group 1 Criterium International at Saint-Cloud on final 2-y-o start. Best effort this season when stepped up to 1½m for the first time in the Irish Derby, finishing ¾-length second of 8 to Los Angeles. An even bigger performance will be needed to see off his older rivals here, though.
***
Read More
- Gallop over to Paddy Power News for all the latest horse racing tips
- When is the King George VI? Ascot date, start time, runners and betting
- King George VI trends and stats for Ascot 3.40 on Saturday
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