10 in King George VI and Queen Elizabeth
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Headed by unbeaten Golden Horn, a field of 10 is set to go in the the £1.15 million King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Eng-I) July 25 at Ascot Racecourse.
The race is a Breeders' Cup Challenge "Win & You're In" race with the winner receiving an automatic berth this year into the Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (gr. IT).
A son of Cape Cross trained by John Gosden for owner-breeder Andrew Oppehnheimer, Golden Horn could be become the 14th horse to win the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, and the Investec Epsom Derby (Eng-I). The only 3-year-old entered in Saturday's 1 1/2-mile race, Golden Horn is coming off an impressive 3 1/2-length triumph in the Coral-Eclipse (Eng-I) July 4, his fifth victory in as many starts.
Gosden will also be represented in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth by Eagle Top and Romsdal. A son of Pivotol, Eagle Top looms as one of the top challengers to Golden Horn, having previously won the King Edward VII Stakes (Eng-II) and most recently second to Snow Sky in the Hardwicke Stakes (Eng-II).
"He was really impressive at Ascot last year where he won the King Edward VII Stakes and ran a good race at Royal Ascot on his latest start when he finished behind Snow Sky," jockey Richard Hughes said of Eagle Top. "He's a maturing horse and seems to be improving so I'm hoping he puts in a good show on Saturday."
Snow Sky, who impressed in the Hardwicke, was supplemented to the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth at a cost of £75,000 by owner-breeder Juddmonte Farms and trainer Sir Michael Stoute.
Irish-bred Dylan Mouth is seeking to become the second winner of the race to be based in Italy. The 4-year-old son of Dylan Thomas has won 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). He added a second group I in the Gran Premio di Milano June 7.
"He seems to be at the top of his game," jockey Fabio Branca said of Dylan Mouth. "I believe he will run much better on Saturday than when he did at Ascot last year (in the King Edward VII Stakes), when he finished behind Eagle Top and Snow Sky. He is now much more mature and has learned to settle which has helped him develop."
The only filly entered is Madame Chiang, a group I winner over the course and distance in the British Champions Fillies and Mares Stakes last October.
The sole entry from France is Flintshire, the Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (gr. IT) runner-up who went on to take the Longines Hong Kong Vase (HK-I) for trainer Andre Fabre.
Also entered are Telescope, runner-up to Taghrooda in the 2014 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes; and group II winner Postponed, who was third in the Hardwicke after a third in the Tattersalls Gold Cup (Ire-II); and Clever Cookie, making his group I debut.