Moore hails Betfair King George field

Ryan Moore will don Prince Khalid Abdulla’s silks in Saturday’s Betfair King George on the fast improving Sea Moon. Image courtesy of racingfotos.com.

Ryan Moore, who will partner the highly talented Sea Moon in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes Sponsored by Betfair, hailed the strength of Saturday’s big race line-up in an interview with racing channel, At The Races.

The Sir Michael Stoute-trained four-year-old, impressive winner of the Hardwicke Sakes at Royal Ascot on his latest start, is one of ten runners declared for the £1m contest at Ascot, with only the French filly Shareta and Ballydoyle pacemaker Windsor Knot taken out of the race this morning.

Moore knows one of his rivals, St Nicholas Abbey, very well having won last year’s Investec Coronation Cup on the Aidan O’Brien-trained five-year-old, who went on to win the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Santa Anita last autumn.

"This year you’ve got the Melbourne Cup winner (Dunaden), the Arc winner (Danedream), Japanese Derby winner (Deep Brillante), St Nicholas Abbey, Nathaniel – it’s a very strong race," Moore said.

"Sea Moon was impressive at Ascot, but he’s got to step up a bit more to trouble the favourites here.

"He’s in good shape and he’s got scope for a bit more improvement hopefully.

"The Ascot race was run at a sound gallop. There was one hard-luck story. The other horse (Dunaden) may have been unlucky and we will find out at the weekend.

"St Nicholas Abbey has been very good this year so far. People were quick to write him off, but he’s won four Group Ones and has shown the last couple of years what a high class horse he is."

The fifth race in the QIPCO British Champions Series Middle Distance category is due off at 4.35pm on Saturday, live on BBC 2 and At The Races. Make sure you don’t miss it!

For the full race details and field, CLICK HERE.