Royal Ascot 2016: St George to slay Gold Cup rivals
Published:
David Metcalf | June 15, 2016
Order Of St George up for the Gold Cup
Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien has a terrific record in the Gold Cup and Order Of St George can enhance it with victory in this year’s renewal of the Group 1 contest over 2m 4f at Royal Ascot (16.20).
The Ballydoyle handler has won the race six times, saddling Yates to victory in 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009, Fame and Glory in 2011 and Leading Light in 2014.
In Order Of St George he has a top class colt who is unbeaten in his last four starts and put in the best staying performance in Europe last season when winning the Irish St Leger in devastating style.
After being held-up, the beautifully bred son of Galileo made smooth headway three from home before taking up the running at the two marker and powering clear to beat Agent Murphy by 11 lengths.
Top class field strung out like washing
Order Of St George had a top class field, including the likes of Forgotten Rules and Gospel Choir, strung out like washing and the manner of the victory marked him out as an ideal candidate for this stamina sapping contest.
The four-year-old also comes into the race on the back of comfortable 4 1/2 length success in a Listed contest at Leopardstown 13 days ago which should have put him spot on, and another plus is that Order Of St George is versatile as regards ground.
With Ryan Moore in the saddle he looks the one to beat.
Max Dynamite commands plenty of respect
Max Dynamite hails from the all-conquering yard of top Irish trainer Willie Mullins, and looks a big player on his excellent second of 24 in the Melbourne Cup.
The six-year-old looked an unlucky loser in ‘The Race That Stops A Nation’, finding himself blocked behind a wall of horses in 10th two from home before being switched wide and finishing with a rattle to be gaining all the way to the line and beaten just 1/2 a length.
Prior to that, Max Dynamite had run out the impressive winner of the Group 2 Lonsdale Stakes at York when beating Mizzou by 4 1/2 lengths and has nothing to fear from that re-opposing rival.
Entitled to improve for reappearance run
Although only third of four to Pallasator on return to action in the Group 3 Henry II Stakes at Sandown, Max Dynamite was unsuited by the small field and looked ring rusty on his first start for 205 days.
This test will be much more up his street, and the booking of Derby-winning jockey Pat Smullen to do the steering is a positive one.
Related
Coral’s top tip: Order Of St George rates a solid bet to provide trainer Aidan O’Brien with a seventh winner of the Gold Cup. Max Dynamite can give him most to think about.
