The King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes is one of the most prestigious open-aged middle distance contests. This year, the intrigue is heightened by the Japanese interest, particularly by Masquerade Ball.
The Duramente colt opened his Grade 1 account last November, and nearly backed it up when second to Calandagan. His sole start this year saw him beaten a length by Romantic Warrior, and connections believe he can feature here.
Speaking to the Press Association, via At The Races, his trainer Takahisa Tezuka said: “He has matured and developed a lot from three to four, not just mentally but physically as well. He is a lot bigger and stronger. I was nervous about the journey over, but everything went smoothly. The horse seems very happy, while his training is going better than I expected.”
The long voyage from Tokyo saw him arrive in the UK 11 days ago, stabling at James Horton’s in Newmarket. Tezuka continued, stating: “The King George is one of the biggest races in the UK – it is a dream to bring him here. We have tried to give him the best preparation. So we hope for the best while also enjoying the experience because it is an honour to be involved.
“This race is the biggest of Masquerade Ball’s life so far. Calandagan is not the only horse we have to think about. Even though there was only a head between us in the Japan Cup. Because there are a lot of other strong competitors. We are looking forward to seeing how much our horse has developed since then.”
Connections prioritised King George over Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe
The extent of the calibre of ability Masquerade Ball is held in was demonstrated by Christophe Lemaitre in April. Lemaitre said he has the potential to be ‘one of the greats’, to which Tezuka said: “I was very happy with those comments. Christophe has ridden many great horses, including Equinox. So it was an honour to hear that from such a great jockey.”
The prestige of the King George was further highlighted, as Tezuka said: “The horse’s owner Mr Yoshida loves Ascot racecourse and, from last year, pushed me to challenge for this race. The King George rather than the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe is our main reason for bringing Masquerade Ball to Europe.”
It’ll be a significantly different test for Masquerade Ball at Ascot, as Tezuka said: “The downhill section could be quite difficult, as it is hard to imitate running downhill. But I am hopeful that he will be able to overcome this.”