King George Qatar Stakes Guide 2021

One of the best sprinters on the planet, Battaash was still as prolific as a 6 year old last season when winning the Kings Stand, this race and the Nunthorpe at York.

He’s not been the easiest to train and his temperament got him beat a few times in the past but as he’s matured he’s become more professional.

Finally breaking his York duck last season and setting yet another course record in this race last year on rattling fast ground, he is certainly the one to beat.

A comeback run after 298 days off in the King’s Stand at Ascot last month saw him go well but his lack of fitness told late on and he faded into 4th. Now fully wound up he can get his head back in front here.

Archie Watson brings his 3 year old Dragon Symbol here after a slightly frustrating campaign.
Swiftly moving out of handicap ranks, he was rated 85 in April but was made a mockery of that mark to keep defying the handicapper.

He shifting into group 2 company thereafter and only went down by a nose to the talented Rohaan.
First past the post in the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot, he lost the race in the steward’s room for hampering Campanelle near the line.

Kept at 6 furlongs for his most recent run in the July Cup, he ran a blinder to be 2nd but couldn’t live with the raw pace of Starman.

Going off market favourite, he had some smart horses in behind but was left for dead by the winner.

Dropping back in trip should be no problem with plenty of rain in the ground and he gets a hefty weight allowance for his age.

He’s sure to give Battaash a race.

The best of the rest in this race last year, she chased home Battaash but couldn’t live with he superstars blistering pace.

This mare is well at home on slow ground and captured the 2019 Prix de l’Abbaye in desperate ground at Longchamp.

Last season she chased Battaash’s shadow twice but secured group 1 honours again when wining the Flying Five Stakes at the Curragh.

Just touched off in last season’s Abbaye, she managed to get her head in front when last seen at Keeneland when winning the Breeder’s Cup Turf Sprint.

She hasn’t been seen since winning over in America and has normally needed her first outing of the season. She needs to be fully tuned up to be getting close to Battaash again this year but the going is in her favour.

This Dark Angel colt looked to have the springing world at his feet last season but hasn’t quite fulfilled the promise he showed as a 3 year old.

A demolition job in the Palace of Holyroodhouse Handicap at Ascot last year announced Tim Easterby’s charge as a new force in the sprinting ranks.

He easily took a Group 3 at Naas afterwards but hasn’t managed to win since. Dropping between 5 and 6 furlongs, he looked outpaced over the minimum trip in last year’s Nunthorpe so has solely been running over 6 furlongs since.

He’s been handily beaten by Starman twice this season but ran well to be 3rd in the Diamond Jubilee to be 3rd behind Dream Of Dreams.

Nothing has suggested he really wants to drop back in trip and he might just be outpaced by Battaash again over this distance.

Another 3 year old in the field, this rime for Francois Rohaut.

A serial winner over in native France she progressed nicely as a 2 year old and struck twice on deep ground, including a listed race.

Moved up in grade after a switch in stables, she blew apart two group 3 races at Chantilly over 5.5 and 6 furlongs.

Her exploits sent her off favourite for the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot last month but she could only manage 8th on her first run outside of France.

She gets weight from the entire field but looked a touch outclassed by group 1 horses. She’s going to have to improve bundles to give Battaash a race over the minimum trip.

This 6 year old was a solid sort for David O’Meara for since coming over from France and performed well in handicaps before switching yards at the start of this season.

Moving to Robert Cowell, he’s gone up in grade and has hit new heights. A handicap win at the start of the season put him on a mark of 99 but he defied that at Newmarket to be a mighty 104.

Moved up in grade he contested the Kings Stand at Ascot and ran a career best to be 2nd to Oxted in the sprinting showpiece last month.

Clearly looking in decent nick, he dropped to the group 3 Coral Charge when last seen at Sandown but was collared on the line by Came From The Dark.

A fast 5 furlongs is his ideal and he’s won on soft ground before. He could be one to finish in the money again.

A course and distance winning 4 year old filly, Liberty Beach won the Malcomb Stakes at this meeting 2 years ago.

A Listed winner last season, she only managed the one victory all season but ran creditably in a few Group 1 races. Notably coming 3rd in the King’s Stand and 4th in this race last year.

Returning this season she immediately got her head back in front when winning a Group 2 at Haydock back in May. This teed her up for another go at the King’s Stand where she ran well again but this year had to settle for 6th.

She likes this course and has been versatile for ground, she’s chased home Battaash her before and can go close again.

Another filly, this time for John Quinn, Keep Busy rounded out her 2 year old season with a listed win that hinted that there was plenty more to come as she developed.

Returning as a 3 year old she only managed to win once last season when beating El Astronaute in a conditions race on soft ground at Hamilton.

It looked more of the same this season as she was running well but not laying a glove on the principle runners, coming 5th behind Liberty Beach at Haydock and 5th again in the King’s Stand.

She did get herself back into the winner’s enclosure after that when winning a listed race for fillies when a short priced favourite.

Sent off favourite for the Coral Charge, she was well beaten behind Arecibo and Came From The Dark trailing home in 7th.

She is talented but has seemingly found her level in listed contests. She has run well in group company before but was seemingly put well in her place last time out.

Ismail Mohammed’s 6 year old Good Effort has taken listed honours twice in his career.

He’s bounced between handicaps, listed races and group races but seemingly found his level in listed company in late 2020.

A trip over to Meydan in the spring saw him struggle in group 3 and group 1 events, despite being well fancied in the market for most of his runs.

Returning to England last month, he ran in the Chipchase Stakes at Newcastle, only going down narrowly to Chil Chil over 6 furlongs.

Kept at 6 furlongs for his latest outing, he came stone dead last in a deep renewal of the July Cup.

He has won over 5 furlongs before but has looked majorly out of his depth when running in group races previously and nothing would suggest he’s going to improve to get competitive here.

Quite lightly raced for Nigel TInkler, Ubettabelieveit has only been seen 8 times so far.

A lethal winner of a novice event as a 2 year old, he backed that up to take listed honours at Sandown not long after.

Moved up in grade he put in an awful performance over 6 furlongs to be last in the Gimcrack Stakes but left that behind to win the Flying Childers Stakes at an eye-watering price of 40/1 in his last 2 year old start in England.

Coming 3rd in the Juvenile Turf Sprint at the Breeder’s Cup meeting saw him be best of the foreign raiders at Keeneland.

This season has been disappointing so far. Last at Chantilly behind Suesa, he could well have desperately needed the outing after a long break but he was 15th of the 16 runners when last seen in the King’s Stand.

Not looking to have trained on from 2 to 3 years old, he’s best approached with caution.

Getting on a little bit now in age, Ornate has been busy this season and ran in a handicap at this festival on Tuesday. Only managing to come 9th.

He did win a handicap last season off a mark of 97 and ran a blinder to be 3rd in this race last year behind Battaash.

However, age and the handicapper look to be getting his number this season and he’s struggled to get into any kind of form.

The best he’s managed this season is 8th of 11 and he’s looking well out his depth again in a strong looking renewal of this race.

Another who ran only 3 days ago at the start of this festival in the Back To Goodwood handicap, Zargun was well held in 7th in handicap company for Scott Dixon.

Zargun hasn’t won since a race At Ghlin in Germany back in 2019 and has struggled to get competitive over in England.

He’s been held in decent handicaps off a mark in the mid 90’s and it would be very surprising for him to get involved here. Best avoided at a massive price.

A highly talented 6 year old for Andrew Balding, this gelding by Acclamation hasn’t been the most straight forward.

Clearly having plenty of ability he’s only won 4 times in 33 career outings, most of which coming in handicap company.

Mixing it over 5 and 6 furlongs, he looked a different class when winning the Portland Handicap at Doncaster last year with ease.

A mark of 93 and the sprinting trip of 5.5 furlongs brought out the best of him but he’s not managed to back that up since.

Handicaps have been a stern ask this season off a mark in the low 100’s so he tried his hand in group company in the King’s Stand last month.

Unable to lie up in a deeper race he ran well enough to be 8th.

Last seen in the Coral Charge, he filled the 4th spot in the group 3 and again looked a little out of his depth.

Likely to be held for quality again here.