King of Steel, now King of Ascot

With heavy rain switching the running of the Qipco Champion Stakes to the Inner Flat Course at Ascot, it’s the King Edward winner King of Steel who’s at $5 with Ladbrokes.

News of Frankie Dettori replacing Kevin Stott following the owners unhappy view of the Irish Champion Stakes, the odds on this rain-soaked course has Mostahdaf at $4 and Horizon Dore also $5.

In being a length fourth to dual Derby winner Auguste Rodin in an exciting Irish Champion Stakes of 1¼ m, he was upside of Tattersalls Gold Cup winner Luxembourg and Hollie Doyle on Nasha.

In this his second start at 1¼ miles, King of Steel was a 4¾ length third in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes of 1½ miles, having earlier won the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Always dubbed the ‘Ascot Derby’ and run over 1½ miles for 3YOs, it was King of Steel who defeated the future St Leger winner Continuous with Ryan Moore for a 3½ length King Edward victory.

However, it was running Auguste Rodin to a half-length when second in The Derby at Epsom that King of Steel was noted as a ‘season contender’ as it was first-up from an eight month spell.

Originally trained by David Loughnane as a juvenile on winning his first race start over 1m½f, he was transferred to Roger Varian at Newmarket, with Amo Racing not afraid to change stables.

And what a season for Amo Racing in winning 54 races, and with Persian Dreamer winning the Duchess of Cambridge Stakes and Group 3 wins for Indestructible, Magic Sunset and Mammas Girl.

With King of Steel being from the family of the New Zealand based Contributer, winner of the Ranvet Stales and Chipping Norton Stakes, being the last foal of the winning Verglas mare Eldacar.

Purchased by Amo Racing for $200,000 as the 2021 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, he’s by the highly successful Wootton Bassett, whose son Almanzor also won the Champion Stakes.

With Wootton Basset shuttling to Coolmore Australia and Almanzor to Cambridge Stud, it was Bonne Chance Kentucky who bred King of Steel, with Eldacar being a €95,000 Arqana graduate.

Now with the Juddmonte International hero Mostahdaf as the race favourite, it’s the French 3yo gelding Horizon Dore who won his last four at 2000m, and the mount of Mickael Barzalana.

In last taking out the Prix Dollar and earlier the Eugene Adam, he’s been successful in winning six of his eight starts for Chantilly based Patrice Collier and owners Gousserie Racing Partnership.

A €45,000 graduate of the 2021 Arqana August Yearling Sale, he’s half-brother to Gr1 placed Gr3 winner Cavale Doree from the winning Enrique mare Sweet Alabama, sired by Dabirsem.

However, with the October ranking of the Longines Word’s Best Racehorse being released King of Steel maintains his 121 listing, up from 120, for being fourth in the Irish Champion Stakes.

In winning the Prix Dollar the day before the Arc at ParisLongchamp, Horizon Dore has joined the Longines Rankings on 120 in winning the Prix du Prince d’Orange and Prix Eugene Adam.

Even tough quoted $11 for the Qipco Champion Stakes in the hands of Jim Crowley for John and Thady Gosden, Mostahdaf is joined by the undefeated Ace Impact on 128, just behind Equinox.

By improving his rating from 123 on winning the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, Ace Impact retires to Haras de Beaumont, while the 129 ranked WBR leader Equinox is looking to win the Japan Cup.

Also with Ace Impact defeating Westover, 126, by 1¼ length in the Arc, it was Onesto, 123, who was a short head back in third, with St Leger Stakes winner Continuous, 120, who finished fifth.

In Australia the Melbourne Cup winner Gold Trip is rated 120 for victory in the Turnbull Stakes, and is joined by Master of The Seas, 120, for winning the Woodbine Mile Stakes and finished second by a nose to Up to The Mark, 121, in the Turf Mile Stakes at Keeneland.