Seven declared for King George
The understudy called up to take centre stage on the big night is one of Hollywood’s tried-and-trusted plot lines.
Yesterday afternoon Colm O'Donoghue arrived at Naas for two rides at a quiet evening meeting. They both finished out of the frame but it was the quiet word he had with Aidan O’Brien that made all the difference.
As one of O’Brien’s team of jockeys O'Donoghue has played the role of stand-in any number of times. It has yielded three Group One winners in his career but all those have tended to be more luck than judgement when one of the cast off O’Brien runners have beaten the more fancied stable companions.
This time it is different as he will be riding Cape Blanco (pictured), replacing suspended stable jockey Johnny Murtagh, in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes at Ascot on Saturday. If O'Donoghue was an actor he would be straight out of central casting, the one more used to the role of spear career than leading man. But he is doing his best not to fluff his lines now that he has been offered the major part. “It’s great to ride Cape Blanco in the King George and I’m really looking forward to it,” he said, with both feet still firmly planted to the ground. “It’s exciting, it’s great to be part of it, but I’ve rode in a lot of the big races and I’ve rode in the King George before – probably not as high profile a ride –but I’ve got a job to do. The horse is in great shape and I’m looking forward to it.”
Just how much O'Donoghue has to look forward to will depend on just what version of Cape Blanco breaks from the stalls. If it is the one who won the Dante Stakes at York in May – when an admittedly below-par Workforce was a well-beaten second – or the Irish Derby at the Curragh last month then he could well gatecrash what is being billed as a private race between Workforce and Harbinger, both of whom are trained by Sir Michael Stoute. But if it is the Cape Blanco who finished only 10th in the Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly, then O'Donoghue could finds himself drawing a blank.
The O’Brien-trained At First Sight was the only horse withdrawn at the final declaration stage. Confront has been kept in the race by Stoute to act as a pacemaker for Workforce to ensure a true gallop and O'Donoghue is not worried that Cape Blanco will have a problem however the race unfolds.
“He’s very uncomplicated, very easy going, laid back and he does whatever’s asked of him really,” the Irishman said. “I’m not too sure, I don’t think Aidan could really put his finger on it. It’s just one of those things. We all have an off-day now and again but he showed how good he was in the Irish Derby. I can ride him any way I want, I just have to ride the race the way it unfolds for me. Workforce is the Derby winner, and a very good one at that. We have an awful lot of respect for him and are looking forward to taking him on on Saturday.
“I’m very confident that I’m very happy with my horse going into the race. He’s in great order and he’s come possibly forward from his Irish Derby run.”
O'Donoghue has profited from the suspension of Murtagh, who received a six-day suspension for his ride on Starspangledbanner in the July Cup at Newmarket, and if the King George goes to a stewards’ enquiry, television viewers will have the opportunity to follow the drama live.
Stewards’ enquiries are to be broadcast live during King George day and the last two days of the Glorious Goodwood meeting on July 30th and 31st. This continues the trial undertaken at the Derby meeting when all jockeys were so well behaved that there was nothing for the stewards to adjudicate upon.
Jamie Stier, head of raceday operations and Regulation at the British Horseracing Authority, said: “With there being no enquiries into the result of a race when the trial initially took place at Epsom, we are delighted to be able to continue this trial at these high profile meetings. It is pleasing that the jockeys have thrown their support behind this trial continuing.
“Through this trial we hope that those watching at home will gain a more comprehensive understanding of the processes and considerations undertaken by the stewards in determining the result of a race which is subject to an enquiry.’’
Stewards enquiries will be broadcast on both terrestrial and digital channels. Only those races shown on terrestrial television will be open to televised enquiries – races aired before or after on digital channels will not be open to filming.
O'Donoghue will be hoping not to land a starring role for any of those productions.
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