King George dilemma for Pyledriver camp with Dettori set to ride Emily Upjohn

William Muir says he has been inundated with requests for the ride on Pyledriver in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot next weekend, with Frankie Dettori set to switch to Emily Upjohn.

The five-year-old's regular jockey Martin Dwyer is on the sidelines with a knee injury, so Dettori has stepped in to replace him. He was also due to be aboard in the Qipco-sponsored Group 1, but Emily Upjohn is now set to run for John Gosden after she was ruled out of this weekend's Juddmonte Irish Oaks because of transport problems.

The other jockey to ride Pyledriver is PJ McDonald, who won a Listed race at Haydock on the son of Harbour Watch in 2019 and has ridden six winners from 18 rides for Muir and joint-trainer Chris Grassick.

Speaking on Saturday morning, Muir said: "There'll be a jockey on him and I'll leave it to the owners to discuss and talk about.

"We'll make the decision when the owners say, but it will be before we declare him on Thursday. Everyone who is anyone has put their name forward for the ride. Why wouldn't they? He's a nice horse.

"I'm very chilled about the situation. I'm not worried about it and am down to a few jockeys. If one rides him in the King George, he won't need to sit on him beforehand and if another rides him they might want to come and sit on him, but they don't need to – he's very straightforward. Okay, he didn't win, but Frankie had never sat on him before riding him in the Sheema Classic."

Pyledriver is a 16-1 chance for the King George as Irish Derby hero Westover heads the betting at 5-4, while Emily Upjohn, who was second in the Oaks after a slow start, is next at 5-2.

Westover: brilliant in the Irish DerbyCredit: Caroline Norris (racingpost.com/photos)

The Lambourn trainer, a Group 1 winner thanks to his stable star's Coronation Cup success last year, added: "He's ready and has done everything I could have asked of him; he's in very good shape.

"Do we ever mention the King George and say it's not going to be a very good race? It's a fantastic race to be part of. It's no different from an Arc and even the Irish Derby winner can't go there thinking they're an odds-on certainty – nobody can because this is a very good race.

"I don't know who is the one to beat. We're 16-1 and I love that. I've been impressed with Emily Upjohn, but the Derby [in which Westover was third] was faster than the Oaks. I don't know how much that adds up to. They're both very good horses, but I know I've got a very good horse too."

Desert Crown, who was impressive in the Derby, had been favourite for the King George, but will miss out after a setback.

King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes (Ascot, July 23)

Paddy Power: 6-5 Westover, 9-4 Emily Upjohn, 4 Mishriff, 9 Torquator Tasso, 12 Broome, Pyledriver, 20 Alenquer, 25 bar

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