Workforce to take all the beating in Ascot’s King George
Published:The good to soft going at Ascot almost certainly makes Workforce the horse to beat in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, although four of the five runners in the field have genuine chances of securing victory.
Workforce is proven over the 1m4f distance, which is a trip where he has already tasted success in the Derby and the Prix De L’Arc De Triomphe.
However, Workforce has already flopped in the King George once when a distant fifth last year when sent off odds-on favourite and heads to Ascot this time on the back of a taxing run against So You Think over an inadequate 1m2f.
Back over his optimum trip, Workforce should take all the beating if none the worse for his Sandown excursions and 5/4 in the horse racing odds looks decent value, as a case could be made that he should be odds-on again.
Rewilding has been previously well beaten by Workforce in the Derby, but is thriving this year.
Frankie Dettori’s mount impressively wore down So You Think to win at Royal Ascot, but there are doubts as to whether he has had a long enough break since this victory.
Rewilding is 4/1 to win the King George.
St Nicholas Abbey has finally begun to deliver on some of his two-year-old promise this season, but there are question marks relating to the level of his form.
It is 3/1 that St Nicholas Abbey secures victory, but he may be better over further and his chances may be hindered if pacemaker Debussy sets an expected even pace, rather than a fast one to play into the hands of his stamina.
The really interesting runner is the highly-progressive Nathaniel, who won the King Edward VII Stakes impressively at Ascot on his latest start and is 15/2 to follow up.
Trainer John Gosden has paid to supplement Nathaniel into the field, but whether he can beat his elders, even with a weight allowance remains unclear.
