King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes day at Ascot

 The Group One King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes still holds a place in my heart as one of the big summer races and it’s a decent line-up for this years renewal due off at 3.40 on Saturday. Hukum looked as good as ever beating last year's Derby winner Desert Crown in the Brigadier Gerard at Sandown in May and has to be considered but I think the weight for age allowance could prove critical here. Emily Upjohn ran a cracker in the G1 Eclipse last time but couldn't give the weight to Paddington and she looks likely to be in the paces again but I can't see her wining. Derby winner Auguste Rodin did look to make heavy weather of following up his Epsom victory at the Curragh in the Irish Derby; a few have questioned the riding of the second. That said he is a dual Derby winner, rated 123, and gets 11lb off the older colts. King Of Steel was second in the Derby before winning the G.2 King Edward VII Stakes here over track and trip. He only lost out in the final 100 yards at Epsom and clearly has a chance here. I think Auguste Rodin may have more in the tank yet and he is just fancied to take this. I have the 2-1. 

Charlie Appleby trained Ancient Wisdom was a €2,000,000 yearling who made a winning debut at Haydock over seven last month and followed up at Newmarket over the same trip a fortnight later. The son of Dubawi is strongly fancied to take the Listed Pat Eddery Stakes at 4.15 and I have 9-4. 

Be lucky