King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes sponsored by QIPCO |
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| Group 1, Ascot 15:40 £1,250,000 added, 3yo plus, 1m 3f 211y, Class 1  |
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| Saturday 28th July 2018 | |
1 Poet's Word 7/4
2 Crystal Ocean 6/4F
3 Coronet 15/2
7 ran NR: Cracksman Distances: nk, 9l, 4l
Time: 2m 25.84s (fast by 2.66s)
Poet's Word wins a thrilling battle with stablemate Crystal Ocean
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It was all about Sir Michael Stoute on Saturday as Poet’s Word gave him a record-breaking sixth victory in the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes when beating stablemate Crystal Ocean in an absolute thriller.
The son of Poet’s Voice was winning back to back Group 1’s having landed the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot on his previous start. James Doyle settled the colt at the rear of the field as Seamie Heffernan set the fractions on Rostropovich. As the field turned for home it looked like William Buick had stolen a march on Crystal Ocean as the pair kicked for home.
However, a very cool James Doyle slowly wound up Poet’s Word to produce a late surge on the outside to wear down Crystal Ocean in possible one of the highlights of the summer. This victory entered Poet’s Word into Stoute’s growing club of King George winners which include Shergar (1981), Opera House (1993), Golan (2002), Conduit (2009) and Harbinger (2010).
Doyle was beaming:
“He’s a star, there were questions over his best trip, what’s his best trip now? Winning the King George over a mile and a half – he’s so versatile.
“I ended up following Coronet, which wasn’t really the plan, I wanted to be in front of her and if I had have been I think I would have won a bit easier”.
King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes
(Sponsored By Qipco) (British Champions Series) (Group 1)
£1,250,000 added, 3yo plus, 1m 3f 211y, Class 1
7 ran
Going: Good to Firm
| Pos | Dr | D | Horse SP | Jockey Weight | Trainer | Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | (8) | Poet's Word (IRE) 7/4 | James Doyle 9-7 |
Sir Michael Stoute | 5 | |
| 2nd | (6) | nk | Crystal Ocean 6/4f | W Buick 9-7 |
Sir Michael Stoute | 4 |
| 3rd | (4) | 9 | Coronet 15/2 | O Peslier 9-4 |
J H M Gosden | 4 |
| 4th | (7) | 4 | Salouen (IRE) 20/1 | S De Sousa 9-7 |
S Kirk | 4 |
| 5th | (3) | s.h | Rostropovich (IRE) 12/1 | J A Heffernan 8-10 |
A P O'Brien | 3 |
| 6th | (1) | 8 | Desert Encounter (IRE) 33/1 | Andrea Atzeni 9-7 |
D M Simcock | 6 |
| 7th | (2) | 18 | Hydrangea (IRE) 10/1 | R L Moore 9-4 |
A P O'Brien | 4 |
| NR | (5) | Cracksman | R Havlin 9-7 |
J H M Gosden | 4 |
