2012 King George

racing_news/

Novellist Trounces King George Field
27/07/13

1 Novellist 13/2
2 Trading Leather 9/2
3 Hillstar 5/1
8 ran Distances: 5l, ¾l, 3l
TIME 2m 24.60s (fast by 5.40s)

Novellist gave Germany back-to-back victories in the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes with a brilliant victory in a record time at Ascot.

Novellist
© Racehorse Photos

The four-year-old, trained by Andreas Wohler and ridden by Johnny Murtagh, spreadeagled the field in spectacular style to follow up Danedream's success 12 months ago.

Novellist (13-2) romped home by five lengths from Trading Leather (9-2), with another three-year-old colt, Hillstar, a further three-quarters of a length away in third.

Murtagh said: "He's a very high-class horse with a good engine. I loved the way when I asked him to stretch he wanted to get on with it.

"He stretched well - pulling him up was probably the hardest part. I can't thank the owner and trainer enough. He feels like a very good horse.

"He'd be up there with my other King George winners."

Wohler, securing his first Group One triumph in Britain, "We knew he'd improved since his last race but as much as that is unbelievable."

"We'd just won a Listed race and a bumper race over here before this.

"This race is so high-rated. I used to come here and watch it as a kid in the school holidays and now I am here as a trainer. To win it is unbelievable."

Trading Leather's trainer Jim Bolger said: "That was very satisfactory. He could have done with a bit more pace in the early part of the race.

"Everything went right until the last furlong. He'll go to York for the Juddmonte and then the Irish Champion Stakes."

King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes (sponsored by Betfair) (British Champions Series)
£1,000,000 added, 3yo plus, 1m 4f, Class 1
8 ran
Going: Good to Firm, Good in places