The King George VI & Queen Elizabeth II QIPCO Stakes takes centre stage on Saturday afternoon and our team of tipsters and writers have had their say on who will come out on top. Check out their thoughts below, along with a new customer offer from 888sport, who are offering £30 in Free Bets + £10 Casino Bonus when they sign up and bet £10.
Daryl Carter
I am baffled as to why the 2021 Arc winner TORQUATOR TASSO is a double-figure price. He tends to need his first run of the season each year, having been beaten three times on the back of a break but has form figures of 111212121 outside of the reappearance effort. He was a big eye-catcher last term on good ground when narrowly denied by Aplinista (rated 118) in Germany when denied a clear passage but stayed on strongly, and there will be fewer horses finishing this contest as strong as him. He was a big-priced winner of the Arc (72/1), which might explain the market writing him off here, but there will be very few opportunities to back such a winner at this price in the future. Mishrif hasn’t shaped to my eye that this 1m4f distance is his ideal trip while Plyledriver and Broome are not the strongest stayers at the distance either. Emily Upjohn looked useful in the Oaks, but this is easily her strongest test against the boys, and Westover lacks pace, in my opinion. Westover is in mind for the St Leger, but his recent Irish Derby win has been blown out of proportion and this rates a tougher test.
Andrew Mount
This is one of the hardest to look at races of the day I think. I’d probably have to go with WESTOVER. He was probably unlucky to finish where he did in the Derby and should have come 2nd had he got a run. He’s bolted up next time in the Irish Derby and you think he’s likely to do the same here. I know Emily Upjohn was unlucky in the Oaks, but that was the Oaks and she’s taking on the colts here which is a completely different kettle of fish. I can see her not finishing in the frame here. Of the others I’m still not convinced of Mishriff’s form in Britain. Torquator Tasso is interesting, the closer he runs to his last race the better and he only ran 3 weeks ago. He might be one for the forecast, along with Pyledriver whose form in small fields is remarkable and he very rarely finishes out of the frame. However, for win purposes I’m going for Westover.
Kate Tracey
This is a race that divides all sorts of opinions. There are doubts on quite a number of these. Mishriff I think is better at the 10 furlongs, even though he has won a Sheena Classic. Torquator Tasso I have doubts over the ground. Pyledriver is a wonderful horse but to give that weight away I have some doubts in this company.Emily Upjohn, I think with the Classic generation the colts are better than the fillies, which leaves me on WESTOVER. I think he has more speed than we are giving him credit for. I think over this trip, with the weight that he is getting and by process of elimination Westover would be my selection.
Tom Aldridge
What a cracking renewal this is going to be! You could find reasons for all six to win this, however the most compelling case has to be WESTOVER. Having had a nightmare path when third in the Epsom Derby, he showed his class by bolting up in the Irish equivalent. That might not have been the strongest renewal, but you can only beat what’s put in front of you: he beat Epsom Oaks winner Tuesday by over ten lengths, which is some going. I think his biggest danger could come from Coral Eclipse runner-up Mishriff, but I do feel Westover will have too much class for these.
Rob Plumbridge
A tantalising affair. The field may be small, but it’s packed full of quality. The three-year-olds are dominating the betting with Westover and Emily Upjohn at the head of the market. However, the form of this pair to me looks a little thin given the short prices. It maybe that either or both are superstars, but I’m happy enough to miss them and back those with proven records in open company. MISHRIFF and the Arc winner Torquator Tasso fit the bill as the highest-rated pair. I’m plumping for the John Gosden globetrotter, who has already backed up his wins in France, Saudi Arabia and Dubai with an emphatic victory in last year’s Juddmonte International. He should also have won the Eclipse last time out, form which could become very handy as the season goes on. Yes, he has been beaten 3 times at Ascot, but two of those were at Champions Day on unfavourable ground. I think he’s a wonderful bet at around 7/2 here.
Joe Napier
This does look a great race and while Mishriff was unlucky not to win a top quality renewal of the Eclipse earlier this month, last year’s running of this race proved that a high-class three-year-old will likely have his measure in receipt of 11lb. Therefore, WESTOVER is probably up to the task, as though the Irish Derby was not the strongest, he still won in glittering fashion. Ralph Beckett’s charge was unlucky not to be even closer than he was in the Epsom Derby and given Oaks heroine Tuesday was ten lengths behind him at the Curragh, albeit she almost certainly ran below par, that gives fellow three-year-old Emily Upjohn plenty to do on collateral form.
Jordan Arksey
Team Gosden fire two of their strongest bullets here and although globetrotting superstar Mishriff caught many people’s eye behind Vadeni in the Coral-Eclipse last time out, it’s EMILY UPJOHN who is taken to come out on top. Although her unbeaten record came to an end when narrowly defeated by Tuesday in the Cazoo Oaks at Epsom in June, she still deserves enormous credit given the way in which that race ultimately unfolded. Restless beforehand, she was awkwardly away under Frankie Dettori and was immediately on the back foot towards the rear of the field. Regaining her momentum, she was last off the bridle turning into the straight before launching her challenge towards the stands’ side rail, but was ultimately unable to reel in the eventual winner who got first run on her. Both Taghrooda and Enable have won this contest as three-year-old fillies in the past for the yard and although Emily Upjohn takes on the boys for the very first time this weekend, she is very much on the up and a bold bid from the Gosden filly looks assured.