Freddy Tylicki previews the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot
Sky Sports Writers Freddy Tylicki has analysed the Many likely candidates to the prestigious Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot on Saturday.
The one-mile is really a race is among the attractions on Qipco Champions Day and steeped deeply in rushing folklore.
The Group 1 competition over the right mile was especially kind to Saeed bin Suroor that saddles Benbatl with this renewal and he has won the race on five events together by Mark Of Esteem (1996), Dubai Millennium (1999), Summoner (2001), Ramonti (2007) and Poets Voice (2010).
Aidan OBrien is only one supporting the Godolphin coach with George Washington (2006), Rip Van Winkle (2009), Excelebration (2012) and Minding (2016), along with the Ballydoyle genius brings back 2000 Guineas winner Magna Grecia for his first series since finishing fifth in the Irish 2000 Guineas at the Curragh afterwards in May.
John Gosden matches OBriens tally at the race and has obtained the previous two runnings with Roaring Lion (2018) and Persuasive (2017) and farther down the line enjoyed success with Ravens Pass (2008) and Annals (2000). Gosden seems to King Of Comedy but he would appear to have a hill to climb with Benbatl in their running at the Joel Stakes at Newmarket.
Freddy Head was yet another to enjoy back-to-back victories with Charm Spirit (2014) and Solow (2015) as well as the French battle that this time around is at the hands of Francis Graffard that saddles the probable favorite, The Revenant.
Benbatl is a horse and his coach Bin Suroor has a record in the race. He came back from almost a year away when hammering King Of Comedy five lengths at the Group 2 Shadwell Joel Stakes at Newmarket at the end of September and then if this kind line rings true he would be a significant threat to most of contenders.
He also won a Group 1 at Australia Autumn and proceeded be defeated only two lengths in the Cox Plate and he comes a new horse which may count contrary to several whove had long and busy seasons for something.
Dubawis son is an excellent horse in his own right, has ridden very and the only fear is that one of his only unsatisfactory performances was because of three-year-old on heavy ground at Haydock.
He is lightly-raced and has only had three starts that year. He lost his tag within a protracted mile at Nottingham in April and ran a race after beginning at 66-1 and finishing runner-up, beaten lengths to Grecia.
King Of Change wasnt seen out until winning a race over a mile in Sandown and is currently stepping back up in course more.
He is unproven on the ground so it could suits him but then is by Farrh and lots of his own relish earth and he is habituated. Hes up to 115 today but may not be completed yet when beating Cirrus Des Aigles a throat, and his Farrh won the Champions Stakes here.
As hes had the misfortune to get bumped into Circus Maximus in the St Jamess Palace Stakes and then out time at Newmarket he needed to contend with Benbatl from the Joel Stakes king Of Comedy is a little bit unfortunate.
He ran the race of life of his life in the St Jamess Palace Stakes but youd be hard pushed to make out a case because of him putting the placings.
Another concern are the ground as he had been defeated as a two-year-old in Redcar at odds-on at a rookie race and therell be no hiding place in this race. He is likely a horse who will not locate the floor in his favour also contains it to perform.
He has been a superstar for connections, and he loves the mile at Ascot. He went in the race June when beating the unlucky The Bank a throat and finished runner-up to Accidental Agent at the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes.
He wasnt disgraced in this race this past year either when completing sixth and that he has no issue with the floor.
Lord Glitters might be there or thereabouts again, since he won the Queen Anne at June which race could have been targeted for him.
When hed stood his ground and also the simple fact that OBrien is based on Grecia speaks volumes circus Maximus would have been my notion of the winner. He looked like he can take all before him and looked a complete tool of a horse in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket on his reappearance when beating King Of Change lengths that were two-and-a-half.
He managed easy ground when beating Phoenix Of Spain a mind in the Group 1 Futurity Stakes at Doncaster last October and even though he hasnt been seen out as finishing fifth to the exact same rival at the Irish 2000 Guineas at the Curragh which wouldnt set you off since hes won first time out a two-year-old and after winning the 2000 Guineas.
However, as we have saidn OBrien is a genius and there isnt any greater man for getting one ready on the day and there has been plenty of support on the marketplace to get him.
He is if he comes in exactly the form and the horse that has to be highly respected and if winning the 2000 Guineas, then he is.
He had been brilliant when making Too Darn Hot to be beaten by all three lengths at the Irish 2000 Guineas but has fought to attain that amount of shape since.
After sixth to Circus Maximus and Too Darn Hot had problems reversing the Curragh once in sixth place, placing the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood from a race ran in the St Jamess Palace Stakes.
It was similar story from the Prix du Moulin at Longchamp in September when he finished fifth to it and Circus Maximus difficult to see where he will get the form to come out at the top here.
Hes done nothing but enhance this season after being gelded in the conclusion of the season and has won his four starts.
His most impressive performance was out last time at the Group 2 Prix Daniel Wildenstein and that he relished the soft earth. His trainer Francis Graffard is a force in racing that is French, also he delivered Watch Me into Royal Ascot to win the Coronation Stakes and obviously knows the time of day.
He hasnt raced in Group 1 company but was giving winner Olmedo at Longchamp and we know the floor will suit. He seems short enough in the current industry but there is not any denying that hes a rapidly improving horse.
The winner for me personally is now MAGNA GRECIA. He won the 2000 Guineas and is a miler and when he is in that type of shape he will take a beating. I think with all The Revenant being comparatively brief Id take him for win functions. I am able to view Lord Glitters being placed and The Revenant would must be in both three.