Trading Leather is on course for a tilt at
Ascot's midsummer highlight, the £1-million King George VI & Queen
Elizabeth Stakes (Sponsored by Betfair) over a mile and a half on Saturday,
July 27.
Jim Bolger's charge
announced himself as one of Europe's leading middle distance three-year-olds
with a comfortable length and three-quarter success in the Dubai Duty Free
Irish Derby at the Curragh on June 29.
The son of Teofilo
relished the step up to a mile and a half, staying on strongly to repel the
challenge of Investec Derby third Galileo Rock, with Ruler Of The World and
Libertarian, who finished first and second at Epsom Downs, well beaten.
Bolger, who completed the
Irish Derby-King George VI & Queen Elizabeth II Stakes double with St
Jovite in 1992, revealed: "Trading Leather is fine and on course for the
King George VI & Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (Sponsored by Betfair).
"It was a first-class
performance in the Irish Derby. He ran right to the line in a fast time and
came out of the race very well.
"It gets a bit
tougher now he is stepping into open company, but I am hoping he is up to the
task. Like St Jovite, he is a good Derby winner and I'm hoping he will continue
to progress from here.
"He doesn't like soft
ground but after that he doesn't mind."
Trading Leather is a 5/1
chance with Betfair Sportsbook.
Irish champion trainer
Aidan O'Brien has five entries headed by six-time Group One winner St
Nicholas Abbey, who heads to Ascot on the back of a record-breaking third
victory in the Investec Coronation Cup at Epsom Downs on June 1. The
six-year-old is the 2/1 favourite with Betfair Sportsbook.
Cirrus Des Aigles (11/4), the world's
highest rated horse coming into 2013, will be looking improve his already
superb record at Ascot. The seven-year-old captured the QIPCO Champion Stakes
in 2011 and chased home Frankel in the same race last year, but could only
finish fifth behind Novellist (5/1)on his seasonal return in the Grand
Prix de Saint-Cloud on June 23.
Other notable contenders
include Prince Of Wales's Stakes runner-up Mukhadram (12/1) and Roger
Varian's Ektihaam (8/1), both owned by Hamdan Al Maktoum.
Hillstar has been introduced into
the betting as a 7/1 chance, following the news that the three-year may be
supplemented for the race. Trained by Sir Michael Stoute, the son of Danehill
Dancer could bid to give the Newmarket handler a record sixth win in the King
George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes (sponsored by Betfair).
The lightly-raced colt has
made impressive progress this season, rising from handicap company to take the
Group Two King Edward Stakes at Royal Ascot on his latest start.
Betfair Spokesman Barry
Orr commented today: "It's looking likely that Hillstar will be added to
the line-up for an already cracking field for the King George.
"He will bid to make
history for Sir Michael Stoute and looks to be a typical improving colt from
his yard. The step up in trip seemed to benefit at Ascot and he did it
nicely."
King George VI & Queen
Elizabeth Stakes - Betfair Sportsbook - 2/1 St Nicholas Abbey; 11/4 Cirrus Des
Aigles, 5/1 Novellist, Trading Leather, 7/1 Hillstar, 8/1 Ektihaam, 12/1
Mukhadarm, 16/1 bar
*Each Way 1/4 Odds first 3
places
About The Betfair Weekend
The Betfair Weekend at
Ascot takes place from Friday, July 26, through to Sunday, July 28. The
highlight is the £1-million Group One King George VI & Queen Elizabeth
Stakes (Sponsored by Betfair) which is Britain's top all-aged 12-furlong
contest, run over a mile and a half on the Saturday.
Premier admission ticket
prices start from £20.70 for Friday, £45 for Saturday and £27 for Sunday. Only
a very limited of Premier admission tickets for Saturday remain available and
are likely to sell out by the end of the week.
Grandstand admission
ticket prices start from £11.70 for Friday, £24.30 for Saturday and £18 for
Sunday.
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