Horse Racing Tips: King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes Ante-post Preview

David Dunning
The King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes is one of the most prestigious and valuable races of its kind in the British Flat racing calendar. The roll of honour already includes Nijinsky, Mill Reef and Dancing Brave, to name but three, and the 3-year-olds of the ‘Classic’ generation once again hold a strong hand.  

Adayar heads the 3-year-old brigade

Adayar was beaten in the bet365 Classic Trial at Sandown and Novibet Derby Trial Stakes at Lingfield, but improved to win the Derby at Epsom and sets the standard as far as the 3-year-olds are concerned. Alenquer, second at Sandown, has since won the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot and Hurricane Lane, third in the Derby, has since won the Irish Derby at the Curragh, so the form bears close inspection. That said, he has yet to race, never mind win, on going faster than good, which must be a slight cause for concern. [single_affiliate_freespins id=”1684″ ]  

Love ticks all the boxes

Love extended her unbeaten sequence to four when making all the running to beat Audarya (not to be confused with Adayar) in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot. It would be fair to say Aidan O’Brien’s had the run of the race over a mile and quarter on that occasion, but she was returning from a 300-day break, so is hard to fault, especially as she is at least as effective over a mile and a half. Her trainer was keen to keep her away from soft going earlier in the season so, with the weather in Berkshire set fair for the next fortnight, she could well be in her element.  

Snowfall has questions to answer

Beyond the front pair in the ante-post betting, Snowfall, also trained by Aidan O’Brien, proved a revelation on her first attempt at a mile and a half when cruising home by 16 lengths in the Oaks at Epsom. The second and third have both been beaten since – albeit in decent company and not as far as at Epsom – but stable companion Santa Barbara, who finished fifth, has since won the Belmont Oaks Invitational Stakes to give the form some context. Snowfall has won three times, all with cut in the ground, so while she was certainly impressive, visually, in the Oaks, it remains to be seen if she is capable of reproducing the same level of form on faster going.  

Nothing between Pyledriver and Al Aasy

Pyledriver and Al Aasy were separated by just a neck in the Coronation Cup at Epsom and while the latter has since been beaten again, at odds-on, by Sir Ron Priestley in the Prince of Wales’s Tattersalls Stakes at Newmarket, there remains little to choose between them. If anything, slight preference is for Al Aasy, who appears less ground-dependent than his old rival.  

William Haggas well represented

Of course, trainer William Haggas also has Alenquer, conqueror of Adayar in the Sandown Classic Trial, and Addeybb, a creditable second to St. Mark’s Basilica in the Coral-Eclipse, among his entries. The former appears more likely to be aimed at the St. Leger and has been campaigned mainly on rain-softened ground, but would warrant close attention if taking up this engagement. The latter has yet to win beyond a mile and a quarter and, while he has a consistent profile, doesn’t leap from the page as a winner-in-waiting over a mile and a half at this level.  

King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Betting Tip

A Derby winner, an Irish Derby winner and an Oaks winner among the 3-year-old contingent, but Love carried all before her against her own sex in 2020 and can make it five Group 1 wins in a row. Selection: Love (9/4 with Paddy Power) [single_affiliate_freespins id=”1685″ ]