A RACE OF LEGENDS
Who will join King George immortals?
SINCE it was first run 67 years ago, today’s King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes has been captured by legends.
Triple Crown hero Nijinsky took the prize in 1970 under the peerless Lester Piggott, the race’s most successful rider with seven wins.
Sir Michael Stoute registered the first of his five victories in 1981 with the infamous Shergar, whose outstanding exploits on the racecourse were to be overshadowed after he was kidnapped.
In 1975 Grundy slayed Bustino in a showdown that became immortalised as “the race of century”.
Frankie Dettori, Mick Kinane, Johnny Murtagh and Willie Carson, who collectively tasted glory on 18 occasions in the Ascot headliner, reveal their magic moments from the King George and who they believe will win today.
Dettori, successful with Lammtarra (1995), Swain (1998), Daylami (1999), Doyen (2004) and Enable (2017), misses today’s race as he is currently banned for careless riding.
Class
He will face an agonising watch if his intended mount Cracksman takes part – and joins the King George immortals.
“If we get the rain and the ground becomes good, it will swing everything in Cracksman’s favour,” said Dettori. “He’s the class horse.”
The status of the King George is not lost on the 47-year-old Italian.
“When I was a kid the races I watched were the Derby, King George and the Arc,” he said. “Just look at the great horses that have won it – Shergar, Dahlia, Nijinsky, Galileo, and so on.
“Ribot (won in 1956) came by train from Italy. It took three days to get there! That shows how much the race means.
“Enable has to be the best winner I’ve ridden in the race. She was breathtaking. Lammtarra, my first King George winner, gave me the most satisfaction as I was only 23 when he won. He went on to win the Arc for me.”
Like Dettori, Kinane celebrated victory on five occasions – Belmez (1990), King’s Theatre (1994), Montjeu (2000), Galileo (2001), Azamour (2005).
“Galileo would be the standout for me as he’s gone on to be so influential in the breeding shed,” explained Kinane. “He’s passed on his great qualities to his offspring.”
Galileo, unquestionably the greatest stallion in the world, fathered Frankel – hailed as the best racehorse ever seen.
“In this year’s race I will side with Crystal Ocean,” said Kinane. “His trainer, Sir Michael Stoute, has the knack of building them up to produce their very best.”
Should Stoute, also represented by Poet’s Word, succeed he will make history by becoming the only trainer to saddle the winner six times.
Murtagh, now training in Ireland, was the go-to rider for the 12-furlong contest.
“Alamshar won the Irish Derby for his Highness (the Aga Khan) and he decided that Dalakhani can go for the Arc and Alamshar for the King George (2003),” recalls Murtagh. Both won.
“I rode Dylan Thomas (2007) because Kieren (Fallon) could not ride in England at the time. He was a very easy winner.
“Then I had Duke Of Marmalade the following year. He was very tough.”
Murtagh benefitted from another late call to take the mount on the Germantrained Novellist (2013).
Treasured
“I think Ryan Moore was supposed to ride and then William Buick but he had to go somewhere else. He was very impressive and broke the track record.
“It’s hard to pick one above another as they were all great.”
As for today’s outcome, Murtagh added: “Listen, Michael Stoute likes the race and maybe I just go with Crystal Ocean.
“He won the Hardwicke and that’s the race Stoutey wins before the King George.”
Carson won on Troy (1979), Ela-Mana-Mou (1980), Petoski (1985) and Nashwan (1989). He nominates Petoski as his treasured moment.
“He’s the one that stands out,” he said. “Because we beat that great filly Oh So Sharp. The horse had just come to himself. I wouldn’t say I was confident but I was very hopeful.”
All four of Carson’s winners were trained by Dick Hern who shares the honours with Stoute and Saeed bin Suroor of winning the race five times.
He says Hern’s other winner Brigadier Gerard, the mount of Joe Mercer, was fortunate to keep the race in 1972.
“I was second to him on Parnell and should have got the race in the stewards’ room,” said Carson. “Even Joe admitted he was lucky to get it.”
Carson believes his success on Nashwan was aided by an astute ride from Richard Hills.
“I must give Richard a lot of credit. I told Dick after Nashwan won the Eclipse that he needed a holiday.
“I had bottomed him and given him a bad ride. I said you can’t run. He needs a holiday. He gave him two days!
“We had a plan with our pacemaker Polemos. Richard made the running and slowed it up. Everybody accepted it and it played into our hands.”
Tactics will again be crucial today but Carson believes everything points to Crystal Ocean.