King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes sponsored by QIPCO |
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| Group 1, Ascot 15:50 £1,215,000 added, 3yo plus, 1m 4f, Class 1  |
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| Saturday 25th July 2015 | |
1 Postponed 6/1
2 Eagle Top 5/2F
3 Romsdal 12/1
NR: Flintshire, Golden Horn, The Corsican (IRE)
7 ran Distances: nse, 3¾l, 2l
TIME 2m 31.25s (slow by 2.65s)
Eagle Top and Postponed flash past the post together for a photo finish
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The Luca Cumani-trained four-year-old got the verdict on the nod under Andrea Atzeni from John Gosden's charge after the pair had treated racegoers to a thrilling climax to the midsummer Group One.
Eagle Top's stablemate Romsdal set a strong pace, with Snow Sky and Postponed close up. Postponed went on, but Eagle Top drew alongside and briefly took a narrow lead. However, Cumani's inmate fought back and had his head down right on the line to prevail by a nose.
Frankie Dettori switched to Eagle Top following the late defection of the Investec Derby and Coral-Eclipse hero Golden Horn due to the rain-softened ground.
Atzeni said: "Fair play to the owner, if that was me I would never have run him on that ground. He stays well and he's got a big heart. I thought Frankie was going to get to me, but this fellow doesn't give up.
"Things haven't gone his way this year, but it's now paid off. What a great day."
Cumani said: "It was a fantastic race. Andrea gave him a peach of a ride. The horse was ready for a mile and a half, he just wanted a good pace.
"I wasn't sure about the ground - I didn't know whether he could handle it.
"They were locked together in battle and I didn't know who had won.
"I'm naturally a pessimist and I'd prefer to be surprised favourably, rather than unfavourably."
Atzeni's position as retained jockey to Qatar Racing had precluded him from riding Postponed this term, with Adam Kirby taking over in the saddle for his last three starts - including when third at Royal Ascot in the Hardwicke Stakes, in which Eagle Top finished second.
Kirby's ride in the Hardwicke attracted some strong criticism from Gosden, with Cumani confirming earlier in the week that Atzeni was back at the helm for the King George.
Gosden said: "Eagle Top ran a great race. He was forced wide into the straight to come round the Italian horse (Dylan Mouth). It probably cost him at the end but he ran a great race. I couldn't be more thrilled with him.
"The ground is tacky, holding. They went a good solid pace and (third) Romsdal's also run a lovely race."
The Clarehaven handler added: "It's a re-run of the Hardwicke but without a hard-luck story."
King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes
(Sponsored By Qipco) (British Champions Series) (Group 1)
£1,215,000 added, 3yo plus, 1m 4f, Class 1
7 ran
Going: Soft
| Pos | Dr | D | Horse SP | Jockey Weight | Trainer | Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | (9) | Postponed (IRE) 6/1 | Andrea Atzeni 9-7 |
L M Cumani | 4 | |
| 2nd | (3) | nse | Eagle Top 5/2f | L Dettori 9-7 |
J H M Gosden | 4 |
| 3rd | (7) | 3¾ | Romsdal 12/1 | W Buick 9-7 |
J H M Gosden | 4 |
| 4th | (1) | 2 | Madame Chiang 8/1 | Jim Crowley 9-4 |
D M Simcock | 4 |
| 5th | (10) | ¾ | Clever Cookie 4/1 | G Lee 9-7 |
P D Niven | 7 |
| 6th | (5) | nk | Snow Sky 3/1 | P J Smullen 9-7 |
Sir Michael Stoute | 4 |
| 7th | (6) | 8 | Dylan Mouth (IRE) 10/1 | Fabio Branca 9-7 |
S Botti | 4 |
| NR | (2) | Flintshire 12/1 | V Cheminaud 9-7 |
A Fabre | 5 | |
| NR | (4) | The Corsican (IRE) 16/1 | Jim Crowley 9-7 |
D M Simcock | 4 | |
| NR | (8) | Golden Horn 4/7 | L Dettori 8-9 |
J H M Gosden | 3 |
