By Daithi Harvey
Fourteen horses have stood their ground for Saturday's G1 QIPCO King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. at Ascot, headed by the current market leader Crystal Ocean (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) who will have the services of William Buick for the first time. Sir Michael Stoute's strong hand for the race is completed by fellow joint favourite Poet's Word (Ire) (Poet's Voice {GB)). That horse's immediate victim at Royal Ascot Cracksman (GB) (Frankel {GB}) has been left in but is a doubtful starter due to the current fast ground conditions. Aidan O'Brien could be mob handed in the £1.15 million race and can choose from Kew Gardens (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}}, Cliffs Of Moher (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), Rostropovich (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), Hydrangea (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), Nelson (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) and Delano Roosevelt (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Kew Gardens would appear the chief Ballydoyle contender following his win in the G1 Juddmonte Grand Prix de Paris and his trainer said, “Kew Gardens is progressing lovely. We were delighted with him in France. We'll see what the lads want to do, but we've been happy with him since France and we'll see what this week will bring.”
There are two potential French challengers in the mix in Andre Fabre's Waldgeist (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) and Francis-Henri Graffard's Bateel (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}). The John Gosden trained mare Coronet (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) could take her chance as well as Mark Johnston's Dee Ex Bee (GB) (Farrh {GB}) while Desert Encounter (Ire) (Halling) and Salouen (Ire) (Canford Cliffs {Ire}) could represent David Simcock and Sylvester Kirk respectively.
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