Nathaniel to defend the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes and to become the third horse in the history to win it consecutively
The Group 1 King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes Sponsored By Betfair (British Champions Series) has brought together ten high profile racing legends. Three among them were part of the line-up of the 2011 edition of the St Leger Stakes at Doncaster. Highly surprisingly, all the three, Masked Marvel, Brown Panther and Sea Moon, scooped the first three places of the third leg of the Triple Crown.
Besides these three, the 3 to 1 entry, Nathaniel, takes the bar of the competition to an all new level. The 2011 version of the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes went to the connections of the four-year-old. Added to that background is the mesmerising Group 1 Coral-Eclipse victory that John Gosden’s under charge added earlier in the month.
Galileo’s bay colt won the Group 1 event last year on 23rd July, 2011 at the Royal Ascot race course over a mile and four furlongs. Back then too he won with the stable jockey, William Buick. The two invaded the track from the third gate and headed on, but had to slack down on the speed due to Workforce. With the positions defined, the duo chased the leader and was successful in over riding him two furlongs out.
They won by the much desired margin of 2 ¾ lengths. Concluding the race third after the winner was, St Nicholas Abbey who is taking his chances again today.
As if tailor made for the winning requirements of the four-year-old foaled by Magnificient Style, the ground conditions this year too remain to be good to soft.
The breaking of the Lady Rothschild & Newsells Park Stud owned into the new season could not have been more impressive. He captured the Group 1 Coral-Eclipse (British Champions Series) by a storm on 7th July, 2012 at Sandown over a mile and two furlongs.
The last five races of the bay colt were in graded company and out of those, three were victories.
In the history of thirty-nine years, Nathaniel will become the third horse to have won the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes twice in a row. Before him the two sensations had been Dahlia and Swain.
He will bring back the £567,100 prize money for the connections for a second time.
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