The Breeders’ Cup Challenge: Win and You’re In returns to Ascot this weekend for the hugely prestigious King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, which offers a guaranteed fees-paid berth in the Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf at Keeneland on November 5
The second major middle-distance clash of the generations of the British season has attracted its usual top-drawer field, with a select assembly of six comprising five G1 winners and an unlucky-in-running Classic second.
Historically speaking, older horses barely got in a look-in this Qipco-sponsored £1.25m contest between the three-year-old wins of Nijinsky (1970) and Lammtarra (1995) but the balance has shifted very firmly in the other direction since, with just five more winners in 26 runnings.
Despite the absence of Derby winner Desert Crown, ruled out after missing crucial work with a hoof issue last week, the Classic generation, still holds a powerful hand – and they won out three weeks ago with Prix du Jockey Club winner Vadeni in the Coral-Eclipse.
Desert Crown’s misfortune left the unlucky-in-running Derby third Westover, a seven-length winner subsequently of the Irish Derby, clear at the head of the betting market.
However, he has been unexpectedly joined by the short-head Oaks runner-up Emily Upjohn, whose intended trip to the Curragh last weekend for the Irish Oaks had to be scrapped owing to travel issues.
Ralph Beckett-trained Westover represents the Juddmonte Farms interests which were first successful with Dancing Brave in 1986 and won three times in the last five years with Enable. Emily Upjohn is trained jointly by Enable’s trainer John Gosden, also successful with Nathaniel (2011) and Taghrooda (2014), and his son Thady.
The older generation also has two outstanding representatives in the Gosdens’ Mishriff, whose sensational 2021 included that huge win in the Saudi Cup and a six-length success in the Juddmonte International, and the German-trained Torquator Tasso, who was a shock winner of the Arc on ground very different to that which is likely to prevail at a sunbaked Ascot on Saturday.
Mishriff, last year’s second, looked unlucky in the Eclipse, where he was held in a pocket until too late, and James Doyle now takes over from David Egan. Torquator Tasso would be a third German-trained winner following Danedream in 2012 and Novellist the following year.
The field is completed by Royal Ascot victor Broome, beaten only a half-length by Yibir at last year’s Breeders’ Cup at Del Mar, and fellow globe-trotter Pyledriver. With Frankie Dettori on Emily Upjohn, PJ McDonald gets the call-up on the latter.
As part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge series, the King George winner will receive a guaranteed ‘Win and You’re In’ place in the starting gate for the $4m Breeders’ Cup Turf at Keeneland on November 5, the second day of the annual two-day championships.
Top contenders
Westover (Ralph Beckett/Colin Keane) – beaten nearly three lengths into third in the Derby but would have finished much closer to Desert Crown with better luck; confirmed himself a top-class middle-distance colt with highly impressive 7l win in Irish equivalent at the Curragh
Emily Upjohn (John & Thady Gosden/Frankie Dettori) – impressed in York’s Musidora Stakes and was arguably unlucky not to follow up in Oaks, where she lost significant ground when stumbling at the start and then took a wider course than short-head winner Tuesday, who got first run on her.
Mishriff (John & Thady Gosden/James Doyle) – five-year-old with a fabulous international record and earnings of more than £11m; followed his second here a year ago with a six-length win in Juddmonte International, and was back to form when unlucky-in-running second to Vadeni in Coral-Eclipse; James Doyle takes over.
Torquator Tasso (Marcel Weiss/Rene Piechulek) – top-class German five-year-old who was a shock winner of heavy ground Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe last October; back to form with easy G2 win at Hamburg three weeks ago but ground a significant question mark and Arc is again primary target.
Shall we talk about it?
Ralph Beckett, trainer of Westover:“At the start of the year none of us could have envisaged Westover getting quite this far, so this is a surprise to all of us, but he’s kept on getting better physically and that’s where all of the improvement has come from.”
John Gosden, joint-trainer of Emily Upjohn:“She was badly left back in last (at Epsom) and she had to circle the field. She has just lost it at the start – it is as simple as that. It was a hell of a run. I think if she had a clean break and not slipped and lost her legs it might have been a different result.”
Marcel Weiss, trainer of Torquator Tasso:“He gave us a lot of confidence in Hamburg. We have a lot of respect for the three-year-olds and for Mishriff but if you want to win the Arc you have to beat these horses and he's good enough."
James Doyle, jockey of Mishriff:“He’s a pretty special horse, and he’s put in some huge performances around the world. I thought it was another top-drawer performance in the Eclipse and he was probably a shade unlucky. His second to Adayar in last year’s King George was another solid run and he’s very versatile.”
Graham Dench’s verdict
There’s a suspicion that this year’s Classic fillies are an unexceptional bunch, so Westover is preferred to Emily Upjohn of the three-year-olds, even though his impressive Irish Derby win was somewhat lacking in substance. However, the pick here looks to be MISHRIFF, whose international record speaks for itself and who would have given Vadeni plenty to think about in the Eclipse had he been extricated sooner.
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