Confirmed runners and riders for the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes - plus a tip and free bet
The eagerly anticipated Derby rematch between Auguste Rodin and King Of Steel is on after both were included in a field of 11 declared for the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes (3.40) at Ascot on Saturday.
Auguste Rodin, trained by Aidan O'Brien, denied King Of Steel by half a length in the Epsom Classic last month and followed up in the Irish Derby at the Curragh this month.
The three-year-old colt is 3-1 with most firms, as is the Roger Varian-trained King Of Steel, who was last seen storming to success in the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot.
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The Wootton Bassett colt has improved significantly this season having finished nine and three-quarter lengths behind Auguste Rodin in the Group 1 Futurity Trophy at Doncaster in October.
Last year’s Derby hero Desert Crown was one of four horses not to be declared. He misses the race after sustaining a leg infection on Wednesday. The O’Brien-trained Adelaide River and Broome will not contest the race along with French entry Simca Mille.
However, the Ballydoyle maestro will be further represented by Tattersalls Gold Cup winner Luxembourg, Point Lonsdale and Bolshoi Ballet.
Pyledriver, who won this race last year for William Muir and Chris Grassick, returns again after striking in the Hardwicke Stakes at the royal meeting following 336 days off the track.
The Owen Burrows-trained Hukum, who defeated Desert Crown in the Brigadier Gerard at Sandown in May, makes his first start since that win, while Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud winner Westover is the sole representative for Ralph Beckett.
John and Thady Gosden will saddle Coronation Cup heroine Emily Upjohn, who finished second to Paddington in the Coral-Eclipse earlier this month but won the Champions Fillies and Mares Stakes on this card last year.
The James Ferguson-trained Deauville Legend and course-and-distance winner Hamish complete the field of 11. The race is televised on ITV and Sky Sports Racing.
It is shaping up to be one of the hottest renewals of the race in recent years and Coral, who make Auguste Rodin the 3-1 favourite, say there could be a number of runners who may be sent off as the leading fancy on Saturday.
Coral's David Stevens said: "The eleven runners – ranging in age from three to seven – in this year's King George have won 14 Group Ones and £11 million in prize-money between them, so the quality of this renewal is arguably as high as we've ever seen in the race.
"With few of the contenders confidently ruled out, there's been a good spread of support ante-post, and that looks sure to be the case on Saturday as well, when any one of the first four or five in the betting could yet be sent off favourite."
King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes: confirmed runners and riders
- Auguste Rodin Ryan Moore
- Bolshoi Ballet Sean Levey
- Deauville Legend Oisin Murphy
- Emily Upjohn Frankie Dettori
- Hamish Richard Kingscote
- Hukum Jim Crowley
- Luxembourg Seamie Heffernan
- King Of Steel Kevin Stott
- Point Lonsdale Adam Kirby
- Pyledriver PJ McDonald
- Westover Rob Hornby
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King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes: big-race tip and 1-2-3 prediction
By Stuart Redding, tipster
1 Emily Upjohn
2 Luxembourg
3 Hukum
Emily Upjohn finished tailed off last year after refusing to settle but she has looked better than ever in two outings this summer and only lost out to the pacier Paddington at Sandown last time. She can put her valuable fillies' allowance to good use.
This content was first published in Wednesday's Racing Post Weekender. Read more from star Weekender contributors such as leading tipsters Tom Segal and Paul Kealy and exclusive columnist Ed Walker every week.
King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes (Saturday 3.40, Ascot)
Coral: 3-1 Auguste Rodin, 10-3 King Of Steel, 4 Hukum, 9-2 Emily Upjohn, 13-2 Pyledriver, 12 Luxembourg, 16 Westover, 28 Deauville Legend, 66 Hamish, 80 Point Lonsdale, 100 Bolshoi Ballet
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