Talking Horses: Mishriff likely to cash in on lack of pace in King George

Torquator Tasso, last year’s Arc winner, is a 12-1 chance for the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot on Saturday, which is a sign of the quality in this year’s race even with only half a dozen runners going to post.

Westover, the Irish Derby winner, and Emily Upjohn, unlucky when second in the Oaks, provide a strong challenge from the Classic generation, while even the outsiders, Broome and Pyledriver, already have Group One wins to their name.

What the field lacks, however, is an obvious pacemaker. Broome, who set a decent gallop for Love, his stable companion, 12 months ago, is Aidan O’Brien’s sole contender this time around and will presumably be ridden with a little more restraint.

If so, Mishriff (3.35) could be ideally placed to take advantage. John Gosden’s five-year-old stays 12 furlongs but has enough speed to win two Group Ones at a mile and a quarter.

James Doyle, who takes over from David Egan after an unfortunate run in the Eclipse last time, is a razor-sharp tactician and last year’s runner-up is a fair price at around 7-2 to give his rider a fourth Group One win of the campaign.

Ascot 1.50 Ralph Beckett’s juveniles generally improve for their first run so it was very encouraging to see Palm Lily quicken nearly three lengths clear of the runner-up on debut at Kempton last month. At around 8-1, she is an excellent bet to give Expert Eye his first Group winner as a sire.

York 2.05 Tom Scudamore is two-out-of-four in this novelty event for jump jockeys over the straight five furlongs and he looks to be aboard the likeliest winner again here as Val De Travers won with plenty to spare at Musselburgh last time.

Newcastle 1.00 Life On The Rocks 1.35 Iron Sheriff 2.12 Amaysmont 2.47 Fariba 3.22