King George

Given the scale of domination by the bigger National Hunt trainers in recent times, you would be forgiven for thinking that the days of 12-horse stables winning Grade 1 races were dead and gone, but Jimmy Mangan never lost hope that a horse like Spillane's Tower could return his yard to the glory days of Monty's Pass and Conna Castle.  It is 21 years since Mangan sent Monty's Pass out from his Conna-based yard in County Cork to win the Grand National. Not long afterwards, Conna Castle came along and...

With more on his mind than most of us could bear, the BBC's racing commentator texted his understudy at Ascot with a few technical tips about the box he would be calling the big race from. On King George day, Darren Owen wasn't expecting help from John Hunt. Who would? On 9 July - 18 days earlier, John's wife Carol, 61, and their daughters Hannah and Louise, 28 and 25, had been fatally injured at their home in Bushey, Hertfordshire. John and his daughter Amy were in the vortex of...

James Doyle has been confirmed to ride Irish Derby runner-up Sunway (Fr) (Galiway {GB}) in the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes at Ascot on Saturday. A Group 1 winner in last season's Criterium International, David Menuisier's colt ran the best race of his three-year-old campaign when pushing Los Angeles close at the Curragh last month. With Oisin Murphy confirmed to ride the John and Thady Gosden-trained Middle Earth, Menuisier has snapped up the services of Doyle. He confirmed, "James Doyle is going to ride. He won't need...

Desert Crown (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) will miss Saturday's King George VI And Queen Elizabeth II Qipco S. at Ascot due to a leg infection. The 2022 Derby winner, who was off with an ankle injury for a year following his Epsom triumph, was beaten on his return by Hukum in the Brigadier Gerard at Sandown in May. Sir Michael Stoute's charge had been reported to be working well in the build-up to a clash with that rival at Ascot and was also set to take on this year's Derby one-two...

Kevin Stott has billed Saturday's King George VI And Queen Elizabeth QIPCO S. as the race of the season so far and backed his mount King Of Steel (Wootton Bassett {GB}) to exact revenge on his Derby conqueror Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}). However, the jockey warned that the Ascot showpiece is far from a two-horse race, and described being a part of such a spectacle as incredibly exciting.  King Of Steel finished just a half a length behind Auguste Rodin at huge odds of 66-1 in the G1...

Desert Crown (GB) is set to return from his latest injury setback in Saturday's King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Qipco S. as last year's Derby winner is one of 15 runners still in contention for the £1.25 million Ascot contest. Trained by Sir Michael Stoute, the son of Nathaniel (Ire) stormed to Classic glory at Epsom in 2022 before spending almost a year on the sidelines before making his return in the Brigadier Gerard in May where he finished second to Owen Burrows' reopposing Hukum. A further setback ruled...

Sean Doyle pulls Monbeg Park (Ire) (Walk In The Park {Ire}) out of his stable and says proudly, "That's the type of horse the likes of Willie Mullins and Eddie O'Leary want to buy."  It begs the question, why is Monbeg Park lining out for Doyle and not any of the powerhouse stables in Sunday's G1 Lawlor's Of Naas Novice Hurdle? After all, Doyle has earned a reputation for selling future stars rather than racing them and can count a Cheltenham Festival-winning graduate to his roll of honour almost every...

James Doyle, who has been enjoying a season to remember, has landed another plum ride after it was announced that he will replace David Egan aboard Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}) in Saturday's G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Qipco S. at Ascot.  Egan recorded the biggest payday of his career when partnering the John and Thady Gosden-trained Mishriff to Saudi Cup glory in 2021, however, the ride aboard the three-time Group 1 winner became available after last week Prince Faisal revealed that he would be using the best...

Colin Keane will maintain his partnership with G1 Irish Derby hero Westover (GB) (Frankel {GB}) in the G1 King George VI And Queen Elizabeth QIPCO S. at Ascot next week. The news was confirmed by Barry Mahon, general manager for owners Juddmonte, at the Curragh on Saturday. Ralph Beckett's colt was ridden by Rob Hornby on his first two starts this year, winning the G3 Classic Trial S. at Sandown before finishing third in the Derby at Epsom, but Keane was aboard for the colt's greatest triumph in the Irish...

Classic winner Desert Crown (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) has been ruled out of next week's G1 King George VI And Queen Elizabeth QIPCO S. at Ascot, trainer Sir Michael Stoute revealed. Undefeated, and the winner of the G1 Cazoo Derby, the bay was set to lock horns with Epsom third Westover (GB) (Frankel {GB}) in the 12-furlong Group 1 on Saturday week. He was reported to be suffering a "foot niggle" on Wednesday. Stoute told PA Sport, "The colt won't be going to Ascot for the King George." Bruce Raymond, racing...

Last year's Derby winner Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) will miss the Coral-Eclipse S. at Sandown, according to his trainer Charlie Appleby, who has nominated the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. at Ascot next month as the most likely destination for the 4-year-old's return.  Adayar has not run this season and had already been ruled out of the Coronation Cup at Epsom after suffering a minor setback.  However, Appleby has reported Adayar to be back in full work and, while he won't be ready in time for the Prince...

Anthony Van Dyck (Ire), who was to be one of three Aidan O'Brien-trained sons of Galileo (Ire) to tackle two-time defending champion Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) in Saturday's G1 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Diamond S. at Ascot, has been declared from the race. "We weren't 100 per cent happy with Anthony Van Dyck's bloods when they came back this evening and as a result we're not going to run him at Ascot tomorrow," the conditioner told Racing Post. "It's disappointing but we have to do the right thing...