A total of 17 runners go for the Group 2, £100,000 King George Stakes over
five furlongs at Glorious Goodwood on Friday. They are headed by Australian
raider Ortensia, who will carry a four-pound penalty after a pair of Group 1
successes – the Winterbottom Stakes in Australia in November and the Al Quoz
Sprint in Dubai in March. She disappointed on her first start in the United
Kingdom when coming home ninth in the five-furlong Group 1 King’s Stand at Royal
Ascot, but ran better when fourth over six furlongs in the Group 1 July Cup at
Newmarket on July 14.
Robert Cowell will be relying on his progressive Italian import Spirit
Quartz, who was fifth in the King’s Stand, while Kevin Ryan will be represented
by last year’s winner Masamah.
Bryan Smart has both Group 1 Prix de l’Abbaye winner Tangerine Trees and
stakes scorer Excellete, who finished third to Charlie Hills’ Angels Will Fall
in a five-furlong stakes race at Ayr on June 23.
William Muir will saddle Stepper Point, who was behind Hamish McGonagall and
Pabusar in the City Walls Stakes at York on July 14, while John Best’s Stone of
Folca brings strong course form to the table after finishing second in the 2010
Group 3 Molecomb.
Secret Asset, trained by Jane Chapple-Hyam, also has good course form after
winning a five furlong-handicap at Glorious Goodwood last year. He disappointed
on his most recent start at Royal Ascot in the King’s Stand, but had previously
finished third in Singapore’s Group 1 International Sprint in March.
“Secret Asset has come out of his disappointing run at Royal Ascot in good
form and a little bit of give in the ground probably didn’t suit him there,”
Chapple-Hyam said. “I will be hoping it doesn’t rain at Goodwood but the horse
is in good order and I will be looking for a strong run from him.
“He is a course-and-distance winner so that has got to help. Admittedly that
was in a handicap and on Friday he will be stepping up to Group 2 company, but
he has done all his gallops and he is fit and well.
“You don’t know how good they are until you put them in the deep end and as
far as we are concerned, finishing second in the Abbaye and third in Singapore
shows that he is capable of running in these races.”
Ortensia has been based at Abington Place Stables and Chapple-Hyam added,
“Leah (Gavraich) has been really pleased with Ortensia and they are hoping for a
big run after finishing fourth in the July Cup. They have had no setbacks so
they are happy.”
The runners also include Roger Varian’s Group 3 scorer Beyond Desire, Brian
Meehan’s highly-regarded Elusivity and Henry Candy’s multiple group winner Amour
Propre.
The field is completed by Humidor, representing George Baker, Confessional,
trained by Tim Easterby, and Ed McMahon’s Noble Storm.
Friday’s racing starts with the 1 1/2-mile Group 3 Glorious Stakes and the
Group 3 actions continues with the Thoroughbred Stakes over a mile and the Oak
Tree Stakes over seven furlongs.
Favorite Trade Commissioner, who won a valuable handicap at Sandown on July 7
and is a 6-1 chance with the sponsor, heads a maximum field of 20 in the
£125,000 Betfred Mile and the heritage handicap also includes last year’s winner
Boom and Bust, Royal Hunt Cup victor and top-weight Prince of Johanne and Summer
Double International Heritage Handicap winner Field of Dream.
Glorious Goodwood concludes on Saturday.
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