There will be plenty of local interest in the running of the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Sponsored by Qipco) at Ascot this Saturday.

Two of the runners in the eight horse field have strong ties to Cape stallions.

Highlands Stud part of Ridgemont’s five time G1 winner Canford Cliffs will be represented in the Ascot feature by Salouen, while Hydrangea, one of two fillies in the race, is an own sister to the Moutonshoek based stallion The United States.

Salouen, who is looking to become his sire’s first G1 winner, has been second or third in each outing in 2018. Third when making his seasonal debut, Salouen went down by just a head when a close second in the G1 Investec Coronation Cup back in June, and last time out he finished third in the G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, beaten a length and a quarter.

Out of the Galileo mare Gali Gal, Salouen will be partnered by champion jockey Silvestre De Sousa.

The regally bred Hydrangea, who gets the services of Ryan Moore on Saturday, was second two starts back in the G2 Lanwades Stud Stakes. To date, the four-year-old Galileo filly has earned over £960 790 with her wins including the 2017 G1 Qipco British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes and the G1 Coolmore Fastnet Rock Matron Stakes.

She shares her Pivotal sired G3 Prix d’Arenberg winning dam Beauty Is Truth with G1 Ranvet Stakes winner, and $2 million plus earner, The United States.

The King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, first run in 1951, has a long honour roll and has been won by some of the greatest racehorses and stallions in history.
Past winners of the 2414 m showpiece include Ribot, Mill Reef, Nijinsky II, Dancing Brave, Shergar, Montjeu, Galileo, Troy, Dahlia and Brigadier Gerard.

Current Cape sire Duke Of Marmalade, himself a Cartier Champion, won the King George in 2008 when he accounted for the likes of triple Arc de Triomphe runner up Youmzain, dual G1 winner Ask  and St Leger hero Lucarno.