KING HAS EVERY CHANCE OF REIGNING SUPREME

ROGER Varian believes King Of Steel looks stronger now than at any stage this season and is hoping his patience is rewarded in the Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown.

The Amo Racing-owned grey faces a rematch with his Derby conqueror Auguste Rodin over a reduced trip of 10 furlongs in the highlight of the two-day Irish Champions Festival.

While Auguste Rodin did follow up in the Irish Derby, he ran no race at all in the King George at Ascot, just like he had done in the 2000 Guineas.

Beneficial

King Of Steel, on the other hand, won the King Edward VII and ran well to finish third in the King George, after which Varian felt the extra time between that race and this would be more beneficial than heading to York.

“We’ve been delighted with King Of Steel since the King George. He ticked over nicely for a couple of weeks afterwards and we built up his work heading towards the Irish Champion Stakes,” said the Newmarket handler.

“I thought the King George was a very attritional race and he ran really well, but you’d be kidding yourself if you didn’t think he had a hard race, so we felt the extra two and a half weeks the Irish Champion Stakes gave us over the Juddmonte International was beneficial for a horse of his age and at this stage of his career.

Performances

“I think he’s been maturing and strengthening throughout the year and you won’t see the finished article maybe until next year, but his performances have shown you that he’s well up to performing (at this level) and we think he can only get better.

“He looks stronger now than he did three months ago and I think with a winter on his back he’ll be even stronger next year.”