QIPCO King George Diamond Day 2024 Preview
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Racing journalist Gavin Beech looks ahead to one of the most anticipated days in the flat racing calendar as the King George takes place at Ascot this Saturday.
1.50 - Princess Margaret Keeneland Stakes (6f)
Lezoo sets the standard despite narrowly losing out in the Group 2 Duchess of Cambridge Stakes' and Frankie Dettori’s mount appears to be in pole position to land this fillies’ Group 3 prize.
However, there are no shortage of unexposed dangers according to betting sites and it’s Lezoo’s stablemate Palm Lily that could well spoil the party for favourite backers.
The 290,000gns daughter of Expert Eye has a very attractive profile on paper and she proved an instant hit on the track when landing a Kempton maiden without ever really coming out of third gear.
She could be anything at this stage and a Lowther Stakes entry suggests connections think she’s a filly going places, so it would be no surprise if she improved past her stablemate.
2.25 - Longines Valiant Stakes (1m)
Just the sought of tight-knit Group 3 contest that would yield bigger returns on Tote’s World Pool, for whom this is a major event day, than with the traditional bookies.
Jumbly has Group 1 form to her name and she had no luck in Germany last time but she’s not the most convincing and preference would be for Zanbaq.
Zanbaq blew her previous form out of the water with a screaming second in the Sandringham Stakes at the Royal meeting.
That was just Zanbaq’s fourth career start so it’s hard to believe that she’s not capable of even better and the switch from Ascot's straight to round course should prove no hindrance.
3.00 - Moet & Chandon International Stakes (7f)
This £150,000 contest is nearly always one of the toughest races of the season to solve for both punters and horse racing betting sites, and the 2022 edition looks as difficult as ever.
The draw can often play a big part in a big-field race on the straight course at Ascot so it might be worth picking out one from each side of the draw.
Star Of Orion (stall 13) was only beaten a short head in this race 12 months ago and can be forgiven his disappointing Bunbury Cup run last time because he had the worst of the draw.
Of those drawn low, Tactical (stall 2) only needs to repeat his fine effort in the Buckingham Palace Stakes over course and distance last month to go very well and Ryan Moore is back in the plate.
3.35 - King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes (1m4f)
The showpiece contest on King George Diamond Day, one of Tote’s World Pool major event days, and crack three-year-old’s Westover and Emily Upjohn dominate the betting.
Both look particularly well suited to the demands of this race but there are doubts about the strength of their form and, even in receipt of so much weight from their older rivals, they are probably going to have to step up another level.
Preference is for last year’s runner-up Mishriff, who arguably comes into this year’s renewal in much better form having run a screamer in defeat (would have won with a clear passage) in the Coral-Eclipse Stakes last time.
Mishriff looks right at the top of his game right now and, with the extra two furlongs no issue, the globetrotting five-year-old looks the one to beat.
4.10 - Flexjet Pat Eddery Stakes (7f)
A Group 1 National Stakes entry suggests Charlie Appleby has high hopes for Naval Power so the unbeaten Teofilo colt will need to be taking a race like this if he is to get anywhere near justifying that lofty entry.
Naval Power has looked strong over this seven-furlong trip on both starts to date, not least last time where he stretched away from his Leicester rivals despite giving them all weight. This is tougher but it will be disappointing if he’s not up to it.
4.45 - Porsche Handicap (1m)
Loads of Ascot form on offer here with no less than six of the 10 runners having already won at the track. It might pay to focus on the three-year-old’s, the pick of which appear to be Tacarib Bay and Saga and it’s the latter that gets the vote.
Saga would probably have won the Britannia Stakes at the Royal meeting had he not been given so much to do by Frankie Dettori and although the handicapper bumped him up 8lb afterwards, but the 5lb claim of Benoit De La Sayette negates much of that.
Providing this isn’t run at a crawl - which it shouldn’t, then Saga looks sure to run big.
5.20 - Garrard Handicap (5f)
Three-time course winner Mountain Peak needs to defy a career-high mark to strike again and this looks good for Bond Chairman to finally supplement last year’s debut victory.
His best two runs have been over this course and distance, on quick ground, and he comes here primed to follow in the footsteps of Alpha Delphini, who won this race for Bryan Smart in 2016.
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