Racing Preview: King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes

The King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes was first run in 1951 and over the decades has been won by some of the great racehorses. Previous winners of the prestigious race include: Nijinsky (1970), Mill Reef (1971), Troy (1979), and Galileo (2001). Dahlia (1973, 1974) and Swain (1997, 1998) are the only two horses to have won the race twice.

The winner of the 2013 running of the race will collect just over GB£ 600,000 and the French-trained Cirrus Des Aigles is the favourite to win. The gelding has run twice at Ascot before, winning the Qipco Champions Stakes in 2011 and was beaten in the same race a year later by Frankel by one and three-quarter lengths.

Speaking after defeat to Frankel last year, Cirrus Des Aigles’ trainer Corine Barande-Barbe said: "They were very close. We lost two lengths but we'll be better next year!”

The seven-year-old has only run once since that defeat in October 2012, when fifth and well beaten in the Grand Prix de Saint Cloud in late June 2013. Andreas Wohler’s Novellist won the race and lines up against Cirrus Des Aigles again on Saturday.

Jim Bolger’s Irish Derby winner Trading Leather is also in the eight-strong field, as is Sir Michael Stoute’s Hillstar, who was supplemented for the race earlier in the week. The colt was the winner of the King Edward VII Stakes over course and distance at the Royal Ascot meeting last month.

The shape of Saturday’s race changed suddenly on Tuesday morning when St Nicholas Abbey was injured on the gallops in preparation for the race. The fractured leg has ended the colt’s racing career and he underwent surgery on Wednesday to try and save him for a career at stud.

The consequence for the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes is that Cirrus Des Aigles is now clear of his rivals on official ratings. But he will have to overcome the trend that a horse aged older than four has not won this race since Daylami in 1999 and no horse aged seven has ever won the race.

Royal Ascot 2013: Day 4

Richard Hughes’ ride aboard Sky Lantern (9/2 jf) in the Coronation Stakes was the highlight of day four of Royal Ascot 2013.

Hughes had a wide draw on the 1000 Guineas winner and decided to drop in at the back of the field in the early stages. In the home straight he took the filly wide of the field to pass her rivals. She quickened her pace very well in the closing furlong and drew away to win by four lengths. It was a ride of great confidence, especially as Hughes had endured a frustrating week to that point.

The Queen’s Vase was run in memory of Sir Henry Cecil but Disclaimer was not able to win the race for Lady Jane. Instead, Leading Light (5/4f) for Aidan O’Brien was the well-backed winner.

O’Brien had endured disappointment earlier on the card when the odds-on favourite Battle Of Marengo (10/11f) was defeated by Sir Michael Stoute’s Hillstar (15/2) in the King Edward VII Stakes.

Champion jumps trainer Nicky Henderson saddled Forgotten Voice to win the Wolferton Handicap at 12/1 on a day on which the bookmakers just had the upper hand.

Racing Preview: York Dante Meeting

The Dante Meeting takes place over three days from 15 – 17 May 2013 at York racecourse, also known as the Knavesmire.

As well as being a very enjoyable early summer Flat meeting, the three days’ racing at York provides some useful clues to the upcoming Classics races at Epsom in June, namely the Oaks and the Derby.

The two key trials races at the Dante Meeting are the Betfred Dante Stakes for three-year-old colts and the Tattersalls Musidora Stakes for three-year-old fillies. Both are run over 1 mile 2 furlongs and act as trials for the Epsom Derby and Oaks respectively.

The Dante Stakes has proved a good trial for the Epsom Derby and several recent winners have gone on from York to win at Epsom in June, including North Light (2004), Motivator (2005), and Authorized (2007).

2012 Dante winner Bonfire finished sixth in the Epsom Derby, whilst Carlton House was third in 2011, and Tartan Bearer (2008) finished second to New Approach.

For 2013’s running of the Dante it was expected that Sir Michael Stoute’s Telescope would feature prominently because the colt was a leading contender for the Epsom Derby. But on Tuesday Telescope was withdrawn from the Betfred Dante Stakes after suffering a minor infection in some cuts on his legs.

Eight horses remain in Thursday’s race including Aidan O’Brien’s Indian Chief. The trainer has been winning many of the Epsom Derby trial races. Mark Johnston’s unbeaten Windhoek is also still in the line up.

Away from the Epsom trial races, another highlight of the Dante Meeting at York is the Qipco Yorkshire Cup, a Group 2 race for Flat staying horses over 1 mile 6 furlongs. The Yorkshire Cup is part of the Qipco British Champions Series.