BC Turf winner Conduit takes the King George
DiscreetCat
Moderator
from Sporting Life:
Sir Michael Stoute pulled off a near-£1million coup as Breeders' Cup winner Conduit led home stablemates Tartan Bearer and Ask in the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot.
Stoute already had a commanding lead over Aidan O'Brien in the trainers' championship, and virtually guaranteed himself a 10th title with this dazzling feat in the Betfair-sponsored event.
Champion jockey Ryan Moore's pick of Conduit ensured the four-year-old was the first choice of Saturday gamblers as he started as the 13-8 favourite over the fellow Ballymacoll Stud-owned Tartan Bearer.
The pair stalked the field in the late Lord Weinstock's famous pale blue silks, and it was last year's Derby runner-up Tartan Bearer who poked his nose in front heading to the furlong pole.
Moore was alive to his every move and snatched the lead just before entering the final stretch.
The son of Dalakhani edged right slightly inside the distance, pressing into Tartan Bearer and earning Moore a three-day suspension (August 8-10) for careless riding, but the stewards allowed the result to stand.
Conduit flashed past the post nearly two lengths clear to become the first St Leger winner since Alcide in 1959 to land the King George, and provide Stoute with his fourth win in the race.
The moment will surely rank as one of Stoute's finest training achievements, with Ask finishing on the coat-tails of the leaders, another head down in third.
Stoute said: "I've always loved this race. It's a wonderful race and is very important in the calendar. This hasn't quite sunk in yet.
"I'm very proud of them - they've all ran great races.
"It ranks very high among my career achievements - this is a bit special.
"We've been very lucky. We've been one-two in the Guineas and one-two in the Breeders' Cup.
"We were also one-two in the Juddmonte International so it's nice to watch.
"We were hoping one of them would win. It's a great thrill to see them perform to such a high standard.
"Conduit did seem to improve in the second half of the season last year. That is certainly his best performance this season.
"Ask is better than ever this year but needed rain, and there was very little between the other two."
Moore added: "There was a good pace today and it set up nicely for him.
"They went very smooth. When he got to the front he just had a little look and shifted right, as he has done in the past.
"He won the Breeders' Cup last year and from then we knew he was going to be a King George horse, but we didn't think we would have the three horses in it."
Stoute will head back to Newmarket to "think quietly" about future plans, but, according to Ballymacoll's racing manager Peter Reynolds, the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe is likely to feature high on the agenda.
Coral responded by trimming the winner to 10-1 from 14s for the Arc, while totesport offer just 7-1
The former also making him 4-1 favourite for a repeat success in the Breeders' Cup Turf.
Conduit was Ballymacoll's fourth victory in the race following on from Troy, Ela-Mana-Mou and Golan.
It also brought up a significant milestone for the Irish-based operation.
Reynolds said: "That is our 50th Group One winner, and Michael's 10th individual and 20th overall Group One for Ballymacoll, which isn't bad.
"We have 28 individual Group One winners stretching back to 1966.
"Lord Weinstock bought the place in 1960 and we have kept it going.
"It is great to keep the firm up there. We are competing against some heavy hitters in Sheikh Mohammed and John Magnier's team and it is nice to have something to take them on with.
"There has to be a Group One in Tartan Bearer at some stage, but where we go next is up to Sir Michael.
"We will discuss things with him, but the Arc is the one race we want to crack.
"Lord Weinstock wanted to win the Arc really badly so it is a big race for us.
"Obviously the Breeders' Cup will have to be on Conduit's agenda as he did it for us last year."
Ask's owner Patrick Fahey is now looking forward to tackling the Arc.
He said: "I'm really, really pleased. It was a great run and he has to go to the Arc now as he will get his ground there."
The King George attracted three-year-olds for the first time in four years, and St Leger sponsors Ladbrokes cut fourth-placed Alwaary to 8-1 from 12s for the Classic, while easing fifth home Golden Sword out to 5-1 at the head of the market.
Sir Michael Stoute pulled off a near-£1million coup as Breeders' Cup winner Conduit led home stablemates Tartan Bearer and Ask in the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot.
Stoute already had a commanding lead over Aidan O'Brien in the trainers' championship, and virtually guaranteed himself a 10th title with this dazzling feat in the Betfair-sponsored event.
Champion jockey Ryan Moore's pick of Conduit ensured the four-year-old was the first choice of Saturday gamblers as he started as the 13-8 favourite over the fellow Ballymacoll Stud-owned Tartan Bearer.
The pair stalked the field in the late Lord Weinstock's famous pale blue silks, and it was last year's Derby runner-up Tartan Bearer who poked his nose in front heading to the furlong pole.
Moore was alive to his every move and snatched the lead just before entering the final stretch.
The son of Dalakhani edged right slightly inside the distance, pressing into Tartan Bearer and earning Moore a three-day suspension (August 8-10) for careless riding, but the stewards allowed the result to stand.
Conduit flashed past the post nearly two lengths clear to become the first St Leger winner since Alcide in 1959 to land the King George, and provide Stoute with his fourth win in the race.
The moment will surely rank as one of Stoute's finest training achievements, with Ask finishing on the coat-tails of the leaders, another head down in third.
Stoute said: "I've always loved this race. It's a wonderful race and is very important in the calendar. This hasn't quite sunk in yet.
"I'm very proud of them - they've all ran great races.
"It ranks very high among my career achievements - this is a bit special.
"We've been very lucky. We've been one-two in the Guineas and one-two in the Breeders' Cup.
"We were also one-two in the Juddmonte International so it's nice to watch.
"We were hoping one of them would win. It's a great thrill to see them perform to such a high standard.
"Conduit did seem to improve in the second half of the season last year. That is certainly his best performance this season.
"Ask is better than ever this year but needed rain, and there was very little between the other two."
Moore added: "There was a good pace today and it set up nicely for him.
"They went very smooth. When he got to the front he just had a little look and shifted right, as he has done in the past.
"He won the Breeders' Cup last year and from then we knew he was going to be a King George horse, but we didn't think we would have the three horses in it."
Stoute will head back to Newmarket to "think quietly" about future plans, but, according to Ballymacoll's racing manager Peter Reynolds, the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe is likely to feature high on the agenda.
Coral responded by trimming the winner to 10-1 from 14s for the Arc, while totesport offer just 7-1
The former also making him 4-1 favourite for a repeat success in the Breeders' Cup Turf.
Conduit was Ballymacoll's fourth victory in the race following on from Troy, Ela-Mana-Mou and Golan.
It also brought up a significant milestone for the Irish-based operation.
Reynolds said: "That is our 50th Group One winner, and Michael's 10th individual and 20th overall Group One for Ballymacoll, which isn't bad.
"We have 28 individual Group One winners stretching back to 1966.
"Lord Weinstock bought the place in 1960 and we have kept it going.
"It is great to keep the firm up there. We are competing against some heavy hitters in Sheikh Mohammed and John Magnier's team and it is nice to have something to take them on with.
"There has to be a Group One in Tartan Bearer at some stage, but where we go next is up to Sir Michael.
"We will discuss things with him, but the Arc is the one race we want to crack.
"Lord Weinstock wanted to win the Arc really badly so it is a big race for us.
"Obviously the Breeders' Cup will have to be on Conduit's agenda as he did it for us last year."
Ask's owner Patrick Fahey is now looking forward to tackling the Arc.
He said: "I'm really, really pleased. It was a great run and he has to go to the Arc now as he will get his ground there."
The King George attracted three-year-olds for the first time in four years, and St Leger sponsors Ladbrokes cut fourth-placed Alwaary to 8-1 from 12s for the Classic, while easing fifth home Golden Sword out to 5-1 at the head of the market.