15:15 Goodwood

Friday 31 July 2020

All13:1013:4514:1514:4515:1515:4516:2016:55

King George Qatar Stakes (Group 2)

Off time: 15:16 | Winning time: 55.62s

(4)

Battaash⁴⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 9-7| J: Jim Crowley| T: C Hills| OR: 126| CD

2/7

Top-class sprinter that's near unbeatable when on song, only blip in the last year coming in the Prix De L'Abbaye when he wasn't himself. Winner of this for the last three years and as long as he's fine pre-race, he'll take all the beating again.

Form: 12110-1

(7)

Ken Colt^t1³⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 9-2| J: S Pasquier| T: F Chappet| D

33/1

Useful French gelding, has slowly returned to form this year and was quite impressive in the Listed Prix Hampton at Chantilly last time. Drying ground not really in his favour though, and overall level of form leaves him short of what's required.

Form: 310-531

(1)

Ornate^p³

Age: 7| Weight: 9-2| J: Oisin Murphy| T: D C Griffiths| OR: 97| D

100/1

Ran above himself when third in this last year, showing his usual blazing speed and keeping on well for the place. Not at his best this season but this race offers him the chance to cut loose, and he may be around for the prizegiving at the death.

Form: 68-0306

(2)

Glass Slippers⁴⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 8-13| J: T Eaves| T: K A Ryan| OR: 115| D

14/1

Prix De L'Abbaye winner last year, taking advantage of a misfiring Battaash on the day, but the latter easily reversed the form in the Kings Stand last time. Possible she will come on for that, but she wouldn't want the ground to dry out much more.

Form: 24111-5

(5)

Dubai Station¹⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 8-12| J: Tom Marquand| T: K R Burke| OR: 108| D

50/1

Won the G3 Pavilion Stakes at Newcastle on reappearance this year and improved on that when third at Deauville on latets start. Doing little wrong, in truth, but a sharp 5f might not be his thing, and his overall form requires improvement.

Form: 300-103

(3)

Al Raya¹³

Age: 3| Weight: 8-9| J: W Buick| T: S & E Crisford| OR: 103| D

25/1

Speedy sort that made all to win a G3 at Chantilly last August, and only just denied in the City Walls at York last time, but has ground to make up with a couple of these on form and she might be playing for the places at best.

Form: 121-422

(6)

Liberty Beach²⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 8-9| J: Jason Hart| T: J & S Quinn| OR: 108| BF| CD

5/1

Has developed into a top-class sprinter, ready winner of the Molecomb here last year so condiitons no problem, but she's got 2l to find with Battaash on their Kings Stand form. Gets a nice bit of weight and could be second best here.

Form: 112-132

Forecasts

Battaash (2/7), Liberty Beach (5/1), Glass Slippers (14/1), Al Raya (25/1), Ken Colt (33/1), Dubai Station (50/1), Ornate (100/1)

BATTAASH is becoming less and less prone to throwing in a bad run, which was always his Achilles heel. Those runs would follow him getting worked up in the paddock and going to post badly, so it's always worth a check to make sure all is in order before they race, but that aside, he's head and shoulders the best sprinter around and can take this for a fourth time. With the ground likely to be on the quick side for Glass Slippers, it may be left to Liberty Beach to fill the runner-up spot. Ornate outran himself in this last year and will give them all a target to ai at once again. He can hold on for third.