King George VI and Queen Elizabeth QIPCO Stakes: runner-by-runner guide and tip

The King George VI and Queen Elizabeth QIPCO Stakes takes centre stage at Ascot on Saturday, and

Auguste Rodin

heads a final field of nine for the Group One highlight.

He's one of three runners declared by Aidan O'Brien.

The ground is described as good to firm, good in places, and while there is some rain forecast on Thursday, there doesn't appear enough to change the conditions, so fast ground is expected on Saturday, especially with a dry forecast on Friday and over the weekend.

Here's a guide to each runner plus a verdict. 

Trainer: Aidan O’Brien. Jockey: Ryan Moore. Best odds: 6-4.

An extremely smart performer on his day, with six Group One victories next to his name. Showed a good attitude to win the Prince Of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot when last seen where he clocked an impressive time, as highlighted by Angus McNae in his The Verdict Extra column.

It’s a slight concern he does produce the occasional below-par run, including in this race last year when trailing in last (on good to soft). However, it does appear as though he needs fast ground to produce his best and he’s likely to get his optimum conditions on Saturday.

Stepping back up to 12 furlongs isn’t a concern and he’s still only four, so could have more to offer this season. Looks the one to beat on paper.

Trainer: William Haggas. Jockey: Tom Marquand. Best odds: 25-1.

Admirable globetrotter who has won three times at this level, including in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud when last seen which connections believe was a career-best effort. 

His other two Group One victories were in Australia, although they probably weren’t the strongest races for the grade, especially as he struggled in British Group One contests either side of those two wins.

This six-year-old remains unexposed over this trip having raced predominantly over ten furlongs, although his overall profile suggests he needs to find more to score here, and he’s vulnerable to an improver.

Another concern is the ground as although he’s won on good to firm in the past, his best efforts have been on a slower surface, so quicker conditions may prove a hinderance here. 

Trainer: Francis Henri Graffard. Jockey: Christophe Soumillon. Best odds: 33-1.

Finished second in the Hardwicke Stakes on his first start in Britain last time out, and this French raider produced a decent level of form in France prior to that in Listed and Group contests.Connections believe he will be best suited by a strong pace, and he should get that here, especially with the likelihood of an Aidan O’Brien-trained pacemaker among the declarations.He should have more to offer with just eight starts under his belt, but his Royal Ascot effort leaves him with plenty to find here, and his handler, who is in red-hot form, believes his charge is best suited by some cut in the ground.

Trainer: Aidan O’Brien. Jockey: Sean Levey. Best odds: 150-1.

Group Three winner who has been kept busy this season, mainly due to acting as a pacemaker for his high-class stablemates in Group One contests.He’s finished well adrift on his past three starts at this level and is one of five confirmations for Aidan O’Brien, so if he does line-up, expect him to set a decent pace.

Trainer: Aidan O’Brien. Jockey: Wayne Lordan. Best odds: 12-1.

Has become a stable stalwart for Aidan O’Brien and his record at Group One level reads 13171242201.He was given a Ryan Moore masterclass when making all en route to Coronation Cup glory last time out where he relished the step back up in trip to 1m4f, which was also a return to form.You could argue he didn’t stay that trip in the King George last year, but there was some cut in the ground on that occasion, and is best suited by faster conditions. He arrives here at the top of his game and was only beaten half a length by Auguste Rodin in last year’s Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes plus remains unexposed over this trip, so an each-way case can certainly be made for him, with conditions also set to be in his favour.

Trainer: John and Thady Gosden. Jockey: Oisin Murphy. Best odds: 12-1.

A thorough stayer who progressed from handicap to Listed company last season and had excuses when disappointing in the St Leger.Returned to action with a career-best effort in a Group Three at Newbury where he needed every yard of the twelve furlongs to get on top close home and impressed with his attitude under pressure.He also fared better than the result suggests when a never-nearer third in the Hardwicke Stakes last time out as he started slowly and wouldn’t have been helped by the modest pace. On the evidence of his past two starts, though, this trip looks the absolute minimum for him, and he’s probably going to be best suited by a proper stamina test over further. He will be helped if there is a strong pace set here, which looks likely, and should have plenty more to offer this season, but will need to take another step forward to claim Group One glory.

Trainer: Charlie Appleby. Jockey: William Buick. Best odds: 4-1.

Won three times at the top level as a four-year-old, but things didn’t go to plan when he returned to action last year, and appeared to be losing his way before bouncing back to form in a strong Listed contest at Kempton in December.That success clearly boosted his confidence as he’s won his three starts since, and his past two victories have been at Group One level. His win in the Dubai Sheema Classic look strong form, too, with a couple of high-class Japanese raiders filling the places plus Emily Upjohn, and Auguste Rodin among his beaten rivals.Connections have found the key to this six-year-old, and he has the form to play a big part here. This trip and fast ground will also be ideal for him and there’s no reason why Ascot won’t suit him, so he holds strong claims.

Trainer: Ralph Beckett. Jockey: Rossa Ryan. Best odds: 5-1.

This rapidly-improving filly produced some good form in defeat last season, but has taken a big step forward this year with an impressive success in the Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Middleton Fillies’ Stakes on her return before collaring Emily Upjohn in a thrilling renewal of the Pretty Polly in June.Both of those performances entitle her to be a leading player here and her finishing effort last time out suggests stepping back up to 12 furlongs will be an advantage.The form of her latest effort has been franked (the third finished a close second in the Juddmonte Irish Oaks at the weekend) and did well to catch Emily Upjohn in the conditions. It has to be a small concern that this daughter of Camelot has produced her best effort on good or softer ground, and faster conditions on Saturday will pose a question mark, especially as she ran below par on her two outings on good to firm last season.

Trainer: David Menuisier. Jockey: James Doyle. Best odds: 14-1.

A colt held in the highest regard by his handler, and that confidence was justified when Sunway landed the Group One Criterium International on his final start last year.

It was disappointing this three-year-old could not land a blow on his first three outings in France this season, and his handler decided to step him up in trip to 1m4f when last seen, which proved a good move based upon his effort in the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby.

The youngster lost out narrowly to Los Angeles and was closing on the winner towards the line. Had he got going quicker, then the result may have been different, but it was still an encouraging effort, and a return to form.

He’ll receive a handy weight allowance here from his older rivals, although will need to have progressed again and is unraced on ground faster than good.

Auguste Rodin is a worthy favourite here, especially as conditions look set to be in his favour, and the RaceiQ data highlights just how good his Royal Ascot victory was last time out.

It's always going to be in the back of your mind that he does run the odd stinker, but he shouldn't have any excuses on Saturday. 

However, at a general 5-4, he doesn't offer much value, and I'd rather take a chance on

REBEL'S ROMANCE

who has strong form next to his name, and if he can produce his best form returning to Britain, then he's definitely a big danger to the favourite. 

He usually races prominently, which should be an advantage here if the race does become tactical, and Charlie Appleby has been operating at a strike-rate of 40 per cent in the past fortnight (at the time of writing). Fast ground will also suit, and this test should prove ideal for him.

Bluestocking is another strong contender on form, but fast ground is a concern, and the same can be said for

Dubai Honour

. Luxembourg, a stablemate of Auguste Rodin, holds each-way claims.