Between them, the sextet have won nine Group One contests but they might easily have pumped that figure up to 13 this year. Emily Upjohn was desperately unlucky not to win the Oaks; Mishriff supporters were left reflecting on what have been in the Coral-Eclipse; Westover flew home in the Derby after meeting trouble; and Pyledriver didn’t get the rub of the green in the Sheema Classic.
All of them will arrive at
Ascot believing they have had their share of misfortune for the campaign. Here’s a guide and a prediction as to
where each will finish.
1 BROOME
Trainer: Aidan O'Brien. Timeform Rating: 129. Odds: 20-1
Broome shone at Ascot last time (Focusonracing)
Positives: The battle-hardened six-year-old was a dominant all-the-way winner of the Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot last month and that race, over the same course and distance, has often been used as a stepping stone to
King George glory. The handicapper assessed that performance as a career-best, elevating his rating to 120. Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore also suggested he had never been better. Seems well-served by front-running tactics - three wins out of five when forcing the pace - and likely to get an uncontested lead. Versatile regards ground and trainer has landed this on four occasions.
Negatives: Swain and Enable have been the only six-year-olds to prevail (both had already won the race at least once beforehand) and he was pretty much used as a pacemaker in this last year, when fading to finish fourth. The Hardwicke form looks shaky with the pair who chased him home, Mostahdaf and Hurricane Lane, both subsequently disappointing. His only win in 11 Group One races was achieved in France last summer when he stumbled on a good opportunity.
Verdict: Likely to do plenty of the donkey work but vulnerable when it matters most.
2 MISHRIFF
Trainer: John & Thady Gosden. Timeform Rating: 135. Odds: 3-1
Enjoy the story of Mishriff
Positives: One of the sport’s biggest earners – victory in this would take his prize-money haul beyond £12 million – with big wins in France, Saudi Arabia, Dubai and England already being achieved at up to 1m 4f. Chased home Derby hero Adayar in this race last year before being a stunning six-length winner of the Juddmonte International at York. Looked as good as ever when splitting Classic winners Verdani and Native Trail in the Coral-Eclipse this month, finishing with a flourish to be beaten a neck after meeting some trouble in running. Officially rated joint-highest in the field and seems well served by fast ground. Gosden Snr has scooped this five times since 2011.
Negatives: He was outstayed by Adayar 12 months ago and his optimum trip is probably ten furlongs. Three visits to Ascot have yielded three defeats, albeit two of those have been on Champions Day at the end of the season on soft ground. Can sometimes miss a beat at the start, like at Sandown last time, and this will be the first time that James Doyle has ridden him after the owner’s split with regular rider David Egan.
Verdict: Last year’s runner-up seems sure to make a bold bid to go one better.
3 PYLEDRIVER
Trainer: William Muir & Chris Grassick. Timeform Rating: 129. Odds: 25-1
Pyledriver caught the eye at Meydan
Positives: His exploits in 2020 included a fluent win over course and distance in the King Edward VII Stakes; an impressive success in the Great Voltigeur under a penalty plus close third in the St Leger. He kept up the good work last year when landing the Coronation Cup and finishing runner-up in the Hong Kong Vase, while this season he’s not been seen to best advantage in the Dubai Sheema Classic, when a close fourth, or a muddling Coronation Cup, when runner-up. This is his optimum trip and he’s versatile regards the ground. Jockey PJ McDonald is 1/1 on him.
Negatives: Is going to require a career-best to hit the jackpot and arrives here on the back of a slightly tame defence of his Coronation Cup crown. One win from seven starts at the highest level tells its own tale and the official ratings also suggest he is up against it. Regular rider Martin Dwyer remains on the sidelines and Frankie Dettori, who has stood in him in his past two races, is required for Emily Upjohn.
Verdict: Bookmakers are dangling a carrot but others are more persuasive.
4 TORQUATOR TASSO
Trainer: Marcel Weiss. Timeform Rating: 134. Odds: 14-1
Torquator Tasso landed the Arc (Pic: Focusonracing)
Positives: Beat a stellar field in last year’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe fair and square, staying on stoutly to beat a plethora of Group One winners. Earlier in the campaign, he had been an eye-catching runner-up to Alpinista in the Grosser Preis von Berlin and that mare has since landed three more prizes at the highest level. Looked back to his best when landing a Group Two prize at Hamburg last time and German challengers have scooped this prize twice in the past decade. Has looked well-served by give in the ground but there’s no evidence to suggest he will not cope with faster terrain. His official rating of 125 makes him the joint-highest in the field, with Mishriff. Arguably nderestimated in the betting.
Negatives: Some will dismiss his Arc win, at odds of 72-1, as a flash in the pan, not least because he had previously won only two of the six Group One races he had contested in his native Germany, where the standard of competition is not usually so high as other parts of Europe. He’s unproven on ground anything quicker than good and his jockey, Rene Piechulek, will be having his first ride at the track.
Verdict: His Arc win represents the best bit of form on offer and, if coping with faster ground, he rates a massive player.
5 WESTOVER
Trainer: Ralph Beckett. Timeform Rating: 133. Odds: 5-4 fav
The Verdict: Angus McNae analyses the Irish Derby
Positives: Routed his rivals in the Irish Derby at The Curragh last time, having been a luckless third in the Derby the previous month. The Frankel colt is clearly suited by a mile and a half and, having had only six starts, there may well be more to come. He gets 11lb from his older rivals and his profile fits, with five of the six three-year-olds to have won the King George this century having landed a Classic beforehand. Unproven on ground quicker than good but encouraging that his siblings have been versatile regards the going.
Negatives: The form of his first four races lacks some substance, hence he went off at 25-1 at Epsom. And you can reasonably argue that the races at Epsom and The Curragh also lacked depth, with no Group One winners lining up in the former and Oaks winner Tuesday clearly not at her best in the latter. Firmer ground will represent an unknown and Colin Keane, for all his brilliance, has yet to win from 46 attempts when riding at Ascot.
Verdict: Clearly one of the best of his generation over a mile-and-a-half and capable of better yet.
6 EMILY UPJOHN
Trainer: John & Thady Gosden. Timeform Rating: 127p. Odds: 5-2
Angus McNae studies a dramatic renewal of the Oaks
Positives: Is unfortunate not to arrive here unbeaten, losing her 100 per cent record when beaten a short head by Tuesday in the Oaks at Epsom after slipping at the start and challenging wide. She pulled clear of third-placed Nashwa, who has since landed the French Oaks. Emily Upjohn had previously been a wide-margin winner of the Musidora after a runaway success at Sandown. Capable of better yet, and her older rivals have to concede a stone to her. Gosden Sr has scooped this five times since 2011, while Frankie Dettori has ridden the winner a record-equalling seven times.
Negatives: You can only beat what you are up against but her form has some pretty big holes in it and she will go to post with the lowest official rating of the six runners. The Oaks, in particular, is not working out at all, with the winner and most of the also-rans all subsequently being well held. Nashwa, who was third, has since won the French equivalent but she was clearly suited by dropping back in distance and, in any case, it looked a mediocre renewal. This is Plan B for Emily Upjohn as last week’s Irish Oaks had been her target, but travel problems meant she had to stay at home. Is unraced on ground any quicker than good. King George winners who have not previously won a Group One or Group Two race are a rarity.
Verdict: She’s a classy filly but short enough in the betting given what she has achived in terms of form.
ANDY'S OVERALL VIEW
The three-year-olds dominate the betting but their form lacks some substance and, at the prices, I’m happy to take them on. TORQUATOR TASSO is a general 14-1 and that looks an insult given the depth of the opposition he beat in the Arc. The ground will be a question mark for him, and his jockey has no experience of the track, but that is offset by the odds on offer. Mishriff may pose the biggest threat.
Predicted order of finish: 1 Torquator Tasso. 2 Mishriff. 3 Westover. 4 Emily Upjohn. 5 Broome. 6 Pyledriver.