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Postponed (Roger Varian) headlines 10 confirmations for what promises to be a superb renewal of the G1 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes (4.30pm) at Ascot this Saturday, July 23. Run for the 66th time in 2016, the all-aged mile and a half showpiece is worth a joint-record £1.215 million.
Owned by Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum, Postponed triumphed by a nose from Eagle Top in 2015 and is unbeaten in three outings for trainer Roger Varian this season. He began the year in Meydan, Dubai, where he was successful in the G2 Dubai City of Gold and the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic.
On his return to Europe, he was the imperious four and a half-length winner of the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Cup at Epsom Downs on June 4 and is currently the highest-rated horse in Europe.Stable companion Ajman Bridge has also been left in and is the likely pacemaker.
The Queen landed the race named in honour of her parents back in 1954 with Aureole. In 2016, the year of her 90th birthday, Her Majesty is set to be represented by Dartmouth (Sir Michael Stoute), who was supplemented for the Ascot contest today at a cost of £75,000. Dartmouth will be attempting to follow the same path as Aureole 62 years ago, as he was successful on his latest appearance in the G2 Hardwicke Stakes over the same distance at Royal Ascot on June 18.
Wings Of Desire (John Gosden) was well-supported for the Investec Derby, having landed the G2 Dante Stakes at York in May, and ran an excellent race at Epsom Downs to finish fourth behind Harzand. The three-year-old Pivotal colt is a full-brother to last year's nose runner-up Eagle Top and like his sibling races in the colours of owner/breeder Lady Bamford.
There is overseas interest provided by Erupt (Francis-Henri Graffard, France), recently runner-up in the G1 Grand-Prix de Saint-Cloud. The four-year-old son of Dubawi was successful last season in the G1 Grand Prix de Paris and also ran excellent races when fifth in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and sixth in the Japan Cup.
Alan Cooper, racing manager to Erupt's owner/breeder the Niarchos Family, said: "The plan is for Erupt to run in the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot on Saturday.
"He pleased Stephane Pasquier this morning and, all being well, will travel over. He takes a little time to get fit and with the very wet spring, Francis has struggled a bit with him.
"With the warmer weather now, the good ground has come and the horse is beginning to thrive. He is a Group One winner over a mile and a half at Longchamp, although it will be a step up for him at Ascot. It looks a superb race."
Ireland's champion trainer Aidan O'Brien has three entries going forward, headed by four-year-old Highland Reel, a G1 winner in the USA and Hong Kong last season and the head runner-up to Dartmouth in the Hardwicke Stakes. The two other confirmations from Ballydoyle are Sir Isaac Newton, winner of the Listed Wolferton Handicap at Royal Ascot before taking the G3 International Stakes at the Curragh, and Shogun.
Also going forward are Western Hymn (John Gosden), who put up his best performance this season when third in the G1 Prince Of Wales's Stakes over 10 furlongs at the Royal Meeting, and Second Step (Luca Cumani), who represents last year's winning trainer and won in G1 company in Germany last year.
King George VI Weekend takes place at Ascot on Friday, July 22 and Saturday, July 23. King George Saturday opens with the first running of the £30,000 Listed Woolridge Pat Eddery Stakes (2.10pm, 26 entries) and also features one of the season's most competitive handicaps, the £150,000 Gigaset International (3.20pm, 47 confirmations) over seven furlongs.