Highland Reel wins King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot

The race favourite held off a spirited challenge from the Frankie Dettori-ridden Wings of Desire to win by a length and provide Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien with his fourth King George victory.

The Queen’s colt Dartmouth, who was only added to the £1.15m race as a late entry on Monday, failed to record a fourth successive win this season by finishing third and also dash hopes of a first royal winner in the Group One race since Aureole in 1954.

O’Brien had previously won the midsummer showpiece with Galileo (2001), Dylan Thomas (2007) and Duke Of Marmalade (2008) and his latest hope was a well-backed to follow suit in the Berkshire sunshine.

The four-year-old had proven himself at the highest level abroad in 2015, running well in the Cox Plate in Australia before winning the Secretariat Stakes at Arlington and the Hong Kong Vase at Sha Tin. He was narrowly beaten by Dartmouth in the Hardwicke Stakes at last month’s Royal meeting, but gained his revenge in some style as Ryan Moore executed his tactics to perfection.

Three-times champion jockey Moore was at his brilliant best as Highland Reel opened up a clear lead in the mile-and-a-half contest, racing down the back straight before taking a breather which allowed the chasing pack to momentarily bridge the gap.

The four-year-old however remained in front turning for home and responded to Moore every time to eventually win by a length and a quarter from Wings Of Desire, who as the only three-year-old in the field ran an excellent race to fill the runner-up spot.

Having already provided the Queen with a Royal Ascot winner in the year of her 90th birthday, Dartmouth was given a patient race by leading French jockey Olivier Peslier and while his mount came home strongly to pick up minor honours in third, it was all too late.

Speaking afterwards, Moore, who was celebrating a second King George win after winning on Conduit for Sir Michael Stoute in 2009, said: “He is a straightforward horse who runs a mile and a half well and loves fast ground.
“He is slightly underrated because he won in Hong Kong and beat a very good horse that day.
“He made it easy for me. He was very comfortable and when he felt Wings of Desire come to him and I got stuck into him he found plenty.”

Aidan O’Brien added: “He is a unique horse really. So versatile and will travel anywhere. He is getting better both mentally and physically and can go anywhere between a mile and a quarter and a mile and a half.

“Ryan gave him a great ride and said going out he was happy to make it.

“Where Highland Reel goes next has yet to be decided, with O’Brien having plenty of options for the top middle-distance contests.
“We have lots of different options for different horses – Minding is going to Goodwood – and Highland Reel would definitely have the Breeders’ Cup Turf over a mile and half later in the season on fast ground.”

John Warren, racing manager to The Queen, said: “Olivier was thrilled with him [Dartmouth].

“He got a little bit lost turning into the straight. He was on the wrong leg and it took him a few moments to get back organised again and he lost a little momentum at that point.

“The Queen is delighted. He is a genuine trustworthy horse that tries his best in this company.

“I’ve a notion that he might be an international traveller. He loves that fast ground so there is the Breeders’ Cup, Australia and Japan.

“We will just freshen him up but he is in good hands.

“We will talk it through and as long as The Queen is happy to travel with him, we will see where we go.”

Also at Ascot on Saturday, Hawkeyethenoo won the Longines Handicap Stakes Ladies’ Race for Lady Amateur Riders.

Ridden by Mrs C Bartley and trained by Jim Goldie, Hawkeyethenoo came out on top in an 18 strong field, winning by a length and three-quarters ahead of Normandy Barriere in second and Sakhee’s Return in third.