Golden Horn Among 11 Possible for King George

Undefeated Golden Horn will face a maximum of 10 opponents in the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Eng-I) July 25 at Ascot when he bids to become the 14th Epsom Derby (Eng-I) winner to complete the double. The last colt to achieve the feat was Galileo in 2001.

 

Golden Horn is likely to meet challengers from France and Italy plus impressive Hardwicke Stakes (Eng-II) victor Snow Sky, who was supplemented at a cost of £75,000 July 20.

 

The King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes, run at 1 1/2 miles, is a Breeders' Cup qualifying race for the Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (gr. IT) Oct. 31 at Keeneland, with the winner receiving a fees paid, automatic berth.

 

A 3-year-old son of Cape Cross, Golden Horn is perfect in five career starts for John Gosden, who trains him for his breeder, Anthony Oppenheimer.

 

In his most recent outing, Golden Horn defeated The Grey Gatsby impressively by 3 1/2 lengths in the Coral-Eclipse (Eng-I) July 4 at Sandown Park.  

  

If successful at Ascot Saturday, he would become only the fourth horse to complete the Derby, Eclipse, King George treble, following Nashwan (1989), Mill Reef (1971), and Tulyar (1952).

 

Saturday's renewal will be the 65th running, with purse money at a record £1,215,000. 

 

There has been one Italian-trained winner of the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes: The legendary Ribot sauntered to a five-length success in 1956, the only time the colt raced in Britain during his unbeaten 16-race career.

  

Dylan Mouth bids to become the second Italian-trained winner. The 4-year-old son of Dylan Thomas has been successful in nine of his 10 starts, including the 2014 Derby Italiano (Ity-II), and ended last season by taking the Gran Premio Del Jockey Club (Ity-I) against all-aged opposition at San Siro in October. He added a second group I to his record last time out in the Gran Premio di Milano June 7.

   

The King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes has gone to French-trained horses on 10 occasions and the one remaining entry from France this year is Flintshire, trained by Andre Fabre. Successful in the 2014 Longines Hong Kong Vase (HK-I) after finishing second in the Breeders' Cup Turf, the 5-year-old has been placed in his last three starts in group 1 company, most recently chasing home Treve in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud June 28.

 

Others possible for Saturday's race include Telescope, runner-up to Taghrooda in the 2014 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes, and group II winner Postponed, who was third in the Hardwicke after a third in the Tattersalls Gold Cup (Ire-II).

 

Others going forward include The Corsican, fourth in the Prince of Wales's Stakes (Eng-I) at Royal Ascot, and Madame Chiang, a group I winner over the course and distance in the British Champions Fillies and Mares Stakes last October.

 

Completing the possible line-up are last year's Derby third Romsdal and soft ground specialist Clever Cookie, winner of the group III Ormonde Stakes at Chester in May.

 

Final declarations for the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes will be made Thursday, July 23.