King George countdown: Stoute pair in "good shape" for Ascot showpiece
By Andy Stephens
Last Updated: Tue 5 Dec 2023
Sir Michael Stoute’s prospects of securing a record-breaking sixth success in the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes increased on Tuesday when the final cast for the £1.25 million showpiece became a little clearer.
Stoute has the market leaders for the QIPCO-sponsored showpiece, Crystal Ocean and Poet’s Word, and it seems they will feature among a single-figure field.
Andre Fabre revealed by phone at a media event at the Rosewood Hotel in London that Waldgeist, who got back to winning ways in Group One company last time and had been quoted as short as 6-1, would miss the race.
Earlier, John Gosden had indicated that Cracksman would only run if thunderstorms start to penetrate the heatwave.
“I’m delighted with him but don’t want to run quickly again on quick ground so we’ll skip it,” said Fabre, successful with Hurricane Run in 2006. “The Arc is the long-term plan with him.”
Bateel, a confirmed mudlark, is another who surely needs the heavens to open, while Aidan O’Brien seems unlikely to run all five of his entries.
O’Brien also spoke via phone and confirmed Kew Gardens - “he’s a progressive horse and physically doing very well” - was an intended runner. He added that he will be joined by one or two of Hydrangea, Rostropovich, Cliffs Of Moher and Nelson.
Chris Stickels, clerk of the course at Ascot, offered a flicker of hope to those wanting slower ground by suggesting that a thundery shower was a possibility at the track on Friday.
Watch James Willoughby and Tom Stanley analyse the Hardwicke win of Crystal Ocean
However, the chances of a deluge seem remote and he is comfortable with adding 5mm of water every day to keep some moisture in the surface. The going is good to firm.
Stoute is not worried about underfoot conditions for Crystal Ocean or Poet’s Word, who were both successful at Royal Ascot last month and are disputing favouritism at about 2-1. The former won the Hardwicke Stakes, while the latter brushed aside Cracksman in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes.
"Both horses seem in good shape and their preparations have gone well," he said. "They have been in good form this year so, touch wood, we are happy at this stage.
"Crystal Ocean has won all three of his starts this year and he has won over the course and distance. The ground may be fast, but he is impervious to ground.
"He comes from a very good Rothschild family and they seem to improve with age - good, honest horses.
"The win of Poet's Word in the Prince Of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot would have been his best performance to date. He has been recording high levels of form and seems versatile in terms of distance."
Our pundits review Poet's Word's defeat of Cracksman
He added: "Excitement may not be the right word - I just want to get them both to Ascot on Saturday in one piece."
The chances of Cracksman and Poet’s Word meeting for the third time at Ascot in nine months - they also met in the QIPCO Champion Stakes in October - seem slim.
“Cracksman will be looking for thunderstorms, which seem extremely unlikely,” Gosden said. That is reflected by him being available at 10-1.
However, he has not discounted Coronet, a general 10-1, taking her chance. “She’s in good form and she ran great at Saint-Cloud (when beaten a nose by Waldgeist), so she’s a possibility for the race at this stage," he told At The Races.
“She’s got a bit to find with Hardwicke winners (Crystal Ocean) and Prince of Wales’s Stakes winners (Poet’s Word), that’s for sure. They set the standard in the race and I’m sure the market will reflect that.”
Coronet has not always looked an easy ride and is also entered in the Qatar Nassau Stakes at Goodwood on Thursday, when Frankie Dettori - banned on Saturday - would be free to ride her.
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