Ulysses camp delighted as Eclipse ace proves versatility

When Jim Crowley turned his back on jump racing he may have thought his days of ending up covered in mud were behind him, but he returned to Ascot's sodden winner's enclosure looking like he'd gone three miles on a handicap chaser at Plumpton, rather than ridden a horse who could perhaps light up the Breeders' Cup in California later in the year as Ulysses backed up his Eclipse triumph with a fine second to Enable.

There are no definite plans for the Niarchos family homebred but a crack at the Breeders' Cup Turf at Del Mar on November 4 appears a prime target.

"I'm delighted with him," said trainer Sir Michael Stoute. "I'd have liked to have been running him on better ground but he was beaten by a very good filly.

"He's very versatile. He gets a mile and a half, no problem, so we know we can go ten or 12 furlongs, and we don't have to worry about soft ground, although he's better on quicker."

Last year's King George winner and Coolmore cashpoint Highland Reel, now above Treve and second to Cirrus Des Aigles as Europe's leading money earner, was another not suited by conditions.

He finished fourth behind his younger brother Idaho, and their trainer Aidan O'Brien said: "They ran very well and we're happy.

"We'll see how Highland Reel is before making plans as he's had a tough early part of the season, but he can cope with a lot of stuff. He can travel the world."

Sixties Song, the first South American-trained horse to run in Britain, tailed in last of ten.

Alfredo Gaitan Dassie (second right) and jockey Gerald Mosse before the King George dream was ruined by rainCredit: Edward Whitaker

The ground, officially good to soft, soft in places on the round course before being changed to soft immediately after the King George, was blamed for his tame effort.

Sixties Song's jockey Gerald Mosse said: "He didn't like the soft going at all. Turning to the right he was fine, but he wasn't able to keep galloping turning to the right.

"He changed legs many times and he wasn't used to it and got tired, trying to follow the race and be there with them. He's a good horse but he cannot show us anything on that ground."

Lucas Gaitan, son of trainer Alfredo, added: "It was great coming over. Many people have helped, but the problem was the ground. We don't know the next plan, but it's possible we'll be back in Britain with other horses. We still think he's a good horse."

He may have been dampened by the weather, but not the experience, described by his father as: "Muy bueno, fantastico."

King George result