Golden Horn’s bid is all down to Gosden
Golden Horn’s bid to join giants of the turf i n this afternoon’s King George VI & Queen elizabeth Stakes is hanging in the balance after persistent rain engulfed Ascot.
Trainer John Gosden will walk the track this morning before deciding whether his unbeaten colt will attempt to become only the fourth horse to complete the derby-eclipse Stakes-King George treble previously achieved by nashwan (1989), Mill Reef (1971) and Tulyar (1952).
A total of 25mm of rain had fallen on the track by 5.30pm yesterday, turning the going to soft. Forecasters were predicting the rain to last until the early hours of this morn- ing. The unexpected change in conditions could leave Gosden, who feels Frankie dettori’s mount will not be as effective with his speed nullified by testing ground, with a dilemma.
Golden Horn has a near-at-hand alternative option in the International Stakes at York on August 19 and a patient approach may appeal.
But that must be balanced with the desire of owner Anthony oppenheimer to run the colt he also bred in a race long associated with his family when it was sponsored by their de Beers diamond company.
Gosden said: ‘There is a long way to go until the weather clears so we will have to wait and see. I will walk the track in the morning and make a decision.
‘ They l i ke to dramatise the weather forecast but it seems like there is a lot of rain around so let’s just see what gets to Ascot.
‘It is like when you get the Arc and it goes bottomless — no-one wants that. It ruins good racing. But we don’t control the weather.
‘Golden Horn is alright on good to soft but if it starts turning soft to heavy it is a different ball game.’
The price of hot favourite Golden Horn has drifted as the extent of the rainfall expected in Berkshire became more apparent. Coral now make him an 8-11 shot. even if Golden Horn has to be withdrawn, Gosden would still be well placed with Romsdal and eagle Top in the race.
The latter has yet to be raced in testing conditions but his relatives have thrived on soft ground — as do the progeny of his sire, Pivotal, as daughter evita Peron proved again yesterday when winning the listed Valiant Stakes.
The rain has already prompted French hope Flintshire to be pulled out but money has poured on Peter niven-trained staminaproven outsider Clever Cookie — cut to 10-1 from 40s.
It should not be a hindrance to Sir Michael Stoute’s 7-1 second favourite Snow Sky, who has a heavy-ground win on his record.
even before the going change, Gosden viewed the test posed by older rivals this afternoon as the stiffest Golden Horn has faced.
The trainer added: ‘They are proper old heavyweights who can give you an upper-cut you weren’t expecting.’ Should Golden Horn be scratched, Frankie dettori would be able to switch to eagle Top, denying retiring champion jockey Richard Hughes a last shot at the £1.125million race.