Poet's Word and James Doyle get up to win the King George
Poet's Word and James Doyle get up to win the King George

Poet's Word gets up to beat Crystal Ocean in King George thriller


Poet's Word gave Sir Michael Stoute a record-breaking sixth success in the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes when he just denied his stablemate Crystal Ocean in an epic finish to the midsummer feature at Ascot.

Winner of the Prince of Wales's Stakes over 10 furlongs at Royal Ascot, Poet's Word (7/4) edged in front in the last 100 yards under James Doyle, after 6/4 favourite Crystal Ocean had set sail for home in the straight.

Rostropovich and Salouen had set a strong pace from the outset, but Desert Encounter lost several lengths at the start.

Doyle had Poet's Word at the back of the field and had plenty to do as Crystal Ocean, ridden by William Buick, was seemingly in a better position heading to the business end of the race.

Hardwicke Stakes hero Crystal Ocean went on, but Poet's Word gave chase and nailed him close to the line to win by a neck. Coronet was third, another nine lengths away from the Stoute pair.

Poet's Word joins Shergar (1981), Opera House (1993), Golan (2002), Conduit (2009) and Harbinger (2010) as a Stoute-trained winner of the King George.

It has been a fine couple of months for Stoute, with the triumph of Poet's Word in the Prince of Wales's meaning he also set a new best for career winners at the Royal meeting, overtaking the late Sir Henry Cecil.

He said: "Two wonderful brave athletes. The first reaction is you feel sorry for the one that got beaten. It's taken a long time (to get the record sixth victory).

"It was a pity there was a loser. That's how you sum it up. Doyle could have done a little bit better and got a dead-heat!"

Poet's Word and James Doyle after winning the King George
Poet's Word and James Doyle after winning the King George

He went on: "They are two such admirable horses and it's delightful to train them. I always felt he wouldn't get there until the last 100 yards or so.

"It's a great mid-season race and we've been luckily enough to do well in it. It's a great team effort, you have no idea how much they put into these horses.

"He showed in the Sheema Classic that he gets 12 (furlongs). I didn't have any difficulty about the distance.

"I couldn't split them and I don't think the handicapper could split them."

On future plans for the winner, he said: "I have no idea, we'll go home and look at him for a week or two and think."

An overjoyed Doyle said: "You'll be doing well if there's a happier fellow today than me.

"He's a star, there were questions over his best trip, what's his best trip now? Winning the King George over a mile and a half - he's so versatile.

"I ended up following Coronet, which wasn't really the plan, I wanted to be in front of her and if I had have been I think I would have won a bit easier.

"I left him a bit of a task, they went quick and I didn't want to start chasing a position."

James Doyle with the King George trophy
James Doyle with the King George trophy

John Gosden had been forced to rule Cracksman out late in the day due to the fast ground, but was still represented by Coronet and was happy with her performance under Olivier Peslier.

He said: "I think on the form with Salouen in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud she was spot on to be third. She had to wait for a run and the ground was a bit quick for her.

"He said she wasn't entirely happy on the ground, but she was third in a King George and I think for a filly that is pretty impressive on her CV.

"We will freshen her up and go for the Yorkshire Oaks."


Sir Michael Stoute's Super Six King George Winners

Poet's Word gave Sir Michael Stoute a record sixth triumph in the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot. Keith Hamer recalls his previous five winners:

Shergar (1981)

Brilliant winner of the English and Irish Derbys, the mighty Shergar was in a class of his own as he took on older horses, including Master Willie and Light Cavalry, for the first time. Leading two furlongs out, he won by four lengths from Madam Gay.

Shergar wins the Derby
Shergar: Sir Michael Stoute's first King George winner in 1981

Opera House (1993)

An above-average renewal, the race attracted such middle-distance stars as Commander In Chief, User Friendly, White Muzzle and Environment Friend, but was won in decisive fashion by Opera House, despite having to make his challenge four wide under Michael Roberts.

Golan (2002)

Kieren Fallon was at his strongest as he brought Golan to challenge Nayef a furlong out and go past him in the last 50 yards, to land the spoils by a head, as the pair pulled three and a half lengths clear of Zindabad.

Conduit (2009)

A remarkable performance by the trainer as he saddled the first three home for a clean sweep. His team was led by Conduit, who scored by a length and three-quarters from Tartan Bearer, with Ask a head away in third place.

Harbinger (2010)

The most impressive of Stoute's King George winners, Harbinger blitzed the field, that included Workforce, his stable companion and red-hot favourite. Harbinger came home alone - by a staggering 11 lengths.

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