By Peter Moore at Ascot 27th July 2024
Qipco King George Day saw plenty of shocks at Ascot on Saturday afternoon with the feature race of the day the King George V1 and Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes providing the biggest shock of the day when the 25-1 outsider Goliath saw off eight over rivals to win the Group 1 for French trainer Francis Graffard and jockey Christophe Soumillon.
In a field that contained six Group 1 winners, the gelding benefited from a stronger pace than he encountered in the Hardwick after pacesetter Hans Anderson ensured a strong gallop for stablemates Auguste Rodin and Luxembourg.
Favourite Auguste Rodin was never travelling well, although Aidan O’Brien was critical of the ground as, for a second year running, Auguste Rodin was a beaten favourite in fifth.
Goliath travelled ominously well and quickened clear to win by two and a quarter lengths from Bluestocking trained by Raf Beckett.
Already gelded, Goliath is ineligible for October’s Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. “Unfortunately, my two best horses [Goliath and Calandagan] are geldings, so we’ll have to see what we do next,” said the trainer. “The spring was planned around this race and I’m happy it worked. Now we can sit down, have a nice drink, and see where we go next.”
The day started well for the three-time champion jockey Ryan Moore who rode a quick fire double.
In a rare ride for Richard Hannon, Moore delivered Our Terms to break his maiden tag on just his second race with victory by half a length from Back In Black to give Hannon his seventh winner in this race in the last 11 runnings of the Class 2 six furlongs maiden stakes.
Half an hour later Moore brought up his double by producing Simmering to get her head in front by a neck. Looking in trouble a couple of furlongs out, Moore produced a scintillating ride after spotting a gap and managed to squeeze through to land the Group 3 Princess Margaret Stakes over six furlongs.
Another Group 3 race on the card, the Longine Valiant Stakes went to the John & Thady Gosden trained Friendly Soul under Kieran Shoemark.
The three-year-old filly disappointed on her last appearance in the Musidora at York, but looked more at home on todays track to win comfortably by three lengths from Doom.
There was a titanic finish to the Moet & Chandon International Stakes when northern trained Northern Express made all and held on by a neck to win at 22-1 for trainer Michael Dods.
Al Qudra made all and quickened at the furlong pole to win by two and a quarter lengths to give the Godolphin owned two-year-old his second success for the popular combination of Charlie Appleby and William Buick.