'Streetwise' Golden Horn set for King George coronation

Golden Horn is at cramped odds to cement his towering reputation by adding Saturday's King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes to his Epsom Derby and Eclipse Stakes heroics.

Success at Ascot will earn Golden Horn access to an extremely select club boasting three members as only Nashwan (1989), Mill Reef (1971) and Tulyar (1952) have won the Derby-Eclipse-King George in the same season.

Bookmakers make Frankie Dettori's unbeaten mount a 2-1 on chance to join this illustrious trio and become the latest three-year-old to deliver a bloody nose to his elders in this mid-season generational battle.

Only two representatives from the classic crop have taken the King George in the past decade -- and both, Taghrooda last year and Nathaniel in 2011 -- were trained like Golden Horn by John Gosden.

Gosden is well on the way to being crowned champion trainer but is far too wise a soul to believe Saturday's race is a shoo-in for his stable star, who faces nine rivals, irrespective of the betting.

The opposition is led by the first three home in the Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot -- Snow Sky, Eagle Top, and Postponed -- and Flintshire, Andre Fabre's classy colt who is fresh from running France's darling Treve close in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud.

The Corsican, Italian raider Dylan Mouth, Clever Cookie, Romsdal and Madame Chiang complete the line-up.

"I think they’re a fabulous group," Gosden, (who also saddles Eagle Top and Romsdal), suggested.

"The only one missing is Treve. She doesn’t much like summer ground at Ascot. We found that out last year, so let’s hope all goes well and we can meet her in the autumn."

On Golden Horn's well-being ahead of what is expected to be his third last ever racecourse appearance before 'retiring' to stud Gosden added:

"Golden Horn's been fine since the Eclipse and even progressed physically -- he's filled out.

"We always thought that he was a good, proper horse, but he just seems that much more streetwise -- harder and tougher now."

"His two favourite habits of eating and sleeping are well to the fore. I’m very happy with the horse."

For Postponed's trainer Luca Cumani, Golden Horn is the only viable winner.

"To me, Golden Horn should win and the rest of us will fight it out for second place," the Newmarket-based Italian ventured.

For Dettori, Golden Horn has catapulted the 44-year-old back into racing's spotlight after an awkward period in which he split with Sheikh Mohammed's Godolphin yard and served a well-documented drugs ban.

Cumani's compatriot is seeking a fifth King George but first since Doyen in 2004. His previous wins came on Daylami (1999) Swain (1998) and Lammtarra (1995).

Gosden meanwhile has handed Richard Hughes the ride on Eagle Top in what is the champion jockey's last chance to win a King George before his retirement at Glorious Goodwood next week.

And the prospect of Eagle Top spoiling Golden Horn's King George coronation is not out of the question.

"Don't underestimate him as if there are any cracks in Golden Horn's armour, then he could well find them," Gosden warned of last year's fourth.

Hughes added: "I’m absolutely delighted to have got the ride. He’s second favourite and looks to be the danger to Golden Horn.

"He’s a maturing horse and seems to be improving so I’m hoping he puts in a good show on Saturday."

The going at Ascot is good to firm but with rain forecast for Friday that could well ease.

Win, lose or draw Golden Horn is set for only two more runs after Saturday -- in the Juddmonte International at York in August and then a trip to Paris to foil Treve's hat-trick in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in October.
Source: AFP